A few weeks back, Kyle’s mom and stepfather came to visit our new digs for the first time while on their way down to New Jersey. It was awesome to finally be able to show them our little treehouse, and I was excited to cook them a family meal. Kyle’s stepfather Don had is recently on the backside of heart surgery, so and I wanted to take a classic dish I had done a few times before and give it a more healthy, heart friendly spin. I made a Coq Au Vin, which I had started the night before, and it turned out beautifully. Due to the way my memory works, I’m providing my standard instructions for the dish, but for a more heart-healthy version I used 50% boneless, skinless chicken breasts and 50% bone-in chicken thighs (trimming out all of the fat and leaving just a little skin on for flavor), reduced sodium/low fat chicken stock, whole wheat flour, natural sea salt, minimal olive oil, and a small amount of turkey bacon. Instead of serving it over buttered mashed potatoes (as I am usually inclined to do) or wide egg noodles, I served the chicken over yolk-free whole wheat noodles for an added boost of good grains. The noodles were a great accompaniment, and starting the Coq t he night before made all the difference in making a very rich dish that tasted more guilty than it was, and was enjoyed a by all.
This recipe has been drawn out of a couple of collaborators (namely Bon Appetite, The Silver Palate and my mother), and once again covers all of my bases for great entertaining: wonderful rustic flavors, easily made before hand and can be done all in one pot. I had good intentions of taking photos before we ate, but we were so wrapped up in catching up and having a great evening (not to mention enjoying a pitcher of my husband’s renowned Margaritas!), that I didn’t get around to it until the next day while enjoying leftovers, which I am happy to report were just as good the first time around!
Coq Au Vin
-1 4lb. Whole chicken, cut into 6-8 pieces, excess fat removed (leave some for flavor!)
-4-5 Slices of thick sliced bacon chopped (the fresh sliced found at most deli counters is best)
-20 Baby carrots, sliced in half, or 4 large carrots cut into similar sized pieces
-2 Cloves of garlic, minced
-1 Shallot, minced
- 1 ½ -2 cups pearl onion (see note on peeling technique below)
-12-14 Crimini mushrooms, wiped clean & quartered
-3/4- 1 cup good chicken stock
-1 Bottle French red wine (if you like your sauce a bit sweeter, you can also add in some Congac)
-1 ½ cups flour
-2 Bay leaves
-2-3 Sprigs fresh thyme
- ½ tblspn poultry seasoning
-Olive oil
-Fresh cracked pepper & sea salt
-Chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
As mentioned before, this dish is best when it is started the night before, so that the flavors can really come together. As an added bonus, you won’t be busy cooking the whole time guests are there- just simply re-heat and you are ready!
Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in the bottom of a large pot or Dutch oven (large enough to hold all ingredients) over medium heat. Once to temp, add in bacon and cook until crisp, stirring occasionally so as not to burn. While cooking bacon, toss flour into a large paper bag and season salt & pepper and poultry season, and shake to mix. Add in chicken pieces, close tightly and shake well to coat chicken. When bacon is cooked, remove from pot with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel. Increase heat slightly to medium-high. Brown chicken in batches in reserved bacon fat/olive oil on each side for 5-6 minutes- be sure not to overcrowd pieces or proper browning won’t be achieved. Remove cooked pieces from the pot and set aside on a plate. Continue process until all chicken is cooked, and be careful to watch your temperature control- you don’t want to burn the exterior of the chicken, or the pieces of flour and fat in the bottom of the pan- that’s where a lot of the flavor for your sauce resides. You may have to mess with your temp settings a bit, depending on your range to maintain an even heat, as well as adding a bit more oil to keep chicken from sticking and burning- use your best judgment.
Return heat to medium, and add in mushrooms, carrots and onions. Sautee vegetables until they begin to soften, about 7 minutes. Add in garlic, shallots, bay leaves and thyme sprigs and continue cooking for 2-3 more minutes until the mixture becomes aromatic and season with salt & pepper. Sprinkle 1-2 tablespoons of flour over vegetables and stir to coat well, cooking for a few more minutes to cook out any “raw” flour flavor. Pour in 1/3 of the wine, increase heat a bit and stir to deglaze the bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook mixture for 10-15 minutes or so stirring occasionally until sauce begins to thicken a bit. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Add in reserved chicken, bacon, and wine- stir to coat chicken. Add in chicken stock to your discretion to achieve a proper consistency (shouldn’t be as heavy as a gravy, but sauce should have some good body). Bring pot to a full boil, stirring for about 10 minutes. Cover pot and transfer to heated oven and let sit for as long as possible (I would recommend 1 ½ to 2 hours) to meld flavors. Remove from oven, let cool completely, check and adjust salt & pepper seasoning and transfer entire pot to refrigerator overnight. About an hour or two before serving, reheat either on stove top over medium heat or in 350 degree oven until heated all the way though. Once re-heated, the dish can stay in a low oven or on a low burner setting until ready to serve. Serve over simple mashed potatoes and garnish with fresh chopped parsley.
*A note on peeling pearl onions- Anyone who has been saddled with the chore of peeling pearl onions knows that it can be a royal pain, often resulting in eye strain, frustration and the assistance of a stiff martini. I don’t remember exactly where I picked up this tip, but it is the easiest way to get the little stinkers out of their jackets without resorting to the frozen bagged variety. In a tea kettle or pot, bring 4 cups of water to a rolling boil. While water is boiling, you can take the tops off of the onions if you wish, or leave them intact for later removal, and place onions in a heat proof dish and pour boiling water over. Let sit in water for about 1 minute. Drain onions quickly and plunge into an ice bath to shock. Once cooled, the onion skins should slide right off, and they will still retain their integrity, and you won’t be chasing tiny onion skins around your kitchen floor for days to come.
Chicken Thigh
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