Chicken Braised in Red Wine Sauce
This is a healthier twist on the French classic Coq au Vin, chicken braised in
red wine. In this version we use boneless, skinless chicken breasts rather than
the traditional skin-on portions and we omit the bacon altogether for a
considerably lower fat content. It makes a wonderfully rich winter dish!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Servings: 4
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds chicken breasts
20 pearl onions, peeled
6 garlic cloves, peeled
sea salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 cups chicken stock
2 cups red wine (Pinot Noir is a good choice)
2 bay leaves
7 fresh thyme sprigs
7 fresh parsley sprigs
8 ounces button mushrooms, trimmed and roughly chopped
2 tablespoons butter
chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and brown on both sides, about
15 minutes. Halfway through the browning, add the onions and garlic and
sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Add the chicken stock, wine, and
herbs. Turn heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until
chicken is tender and cooked through.
Remove chicken and onions to a separate platter. Remove garlic, bay leaves, and
herb sprigs and discard. Add mushrooms to the remaining liquid and turn heat to
high. Boil quickly until liquid is reduced by three-quarters and somewhat
thickened. Lower the heat and stir in the butter.
Return the chicken and onions to the pan to reheat and coat with sauce.
Garnish with parsley and serve.