Woodchuck Au Vin Recipes

COQ AU VIN

Steps:

• In a large resealable container, combine the red wine, carrots, onions, celery, thyme, garlic and bay leaves. Add the chicken thighs, seal the container and marinate in the refrigerator overnight.
• When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Toss the mushrooms with the olive oil on a baking sheet and roast until brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Set aside.
• Drain the chicken and vegetables thoroughly in a colander, reserving the wine mixture. Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel (reserve the vegetables and aromatics). Season the chicken with salt and pepper and transfer to a clean bowl. Add the flour and toss until thoroughly coated.
• In a large Dutch oven, heat the canola oil over medium-low heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring often, until caramelized and the bacon has released its fat, 5 to 8 minutes. Set the lardons aside. Turn the heat up to medium high and shake the excess flour off the chicken. Brown the chicken on all sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove the chicken and set aside.
• Add the pearl onions and drained vegetables and aromatics to the same pot and cook over medium heat until caramelized, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the reserved red wine mixture and cook until reduced by half, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper. Return the chicken to the pot and cover.
• Transfer to the oven and cook until the chicken is tender and the sauce has thickened, 30 to 40 minutes. If necessary, finish the dish on the stove by simmering it uncovered to reduce the mixture further, depending on how thick you'd like the sauce.
• Serve with buttered egg noodles on the side and chopped parsley. Garnish with the reserved lardons and mushrooms.

CHEF JOHN'S COQ AU VIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Season chicken thighs all over with salt and black pepper.
• Place bacon in a large, oven-proof skillet and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper-towel lined plate, leaving drippings in the skillet.
• Increase heat to high and place chicken, skin-side down, into skillet. Cook in hot skillet until browned, 2 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a plate; drain and discard all but 1 tablespoon drippings from the skillet.
• Lower heat to medium-high; saute mushrooms, onion, and shallots with a pinch of salt in the hot skillet until golden and caramelized, 7 to 12 minutes.
• Stir flour and butter into vegetable mixture until completely incorporated, about 1 minute.
• Pour red wine into the skillet and bring to a boil while scraping browned bits of food off of the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Stir bacon and thyme into red wine mixture; simmer until wine is about 1/3 reduced, 3 to 5 minutes. Pour chicken broth into wine mixture and set chicken thighs into skillet; bring wine and stock to a simmer.
• Cook chicken in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Spoon pan juices over the chicken and continue cooking until no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, about 30 minutes more. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Transfer chicken to a platter.
• Place skillet over high heat and reduce pan juices, skimming fat off the top as necessary, until sauce thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; remove and discard thyme. Pour sauce over chicken.

COQ AU VIN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.
• Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven. Add the bacon and cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove the bacon to a plate with a slotted spoon.
• Meanwhile, lay the chicken out on paper towels and pat dry. Liberally sprinkle the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. When the bacon is removed, brown the chicken pieces in batches in a single layer for about 5 minutes, turning to brown evenly. Remove the chicken to the plate with the bacon and continue to brown until all the chicken is done. Set aside.
• Add the carrots, onions, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper to the pan and cook over medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the Cognac and put the bacon, chicken, and any juices that collected on the plate into the pot. Add the wine, chicken stock, and thyme and bring to a simmer. Cover the pot with a tight fitting lid and place in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is just not pink. Remove from the oven and place on top of the stove.
• Mash 1 tablespoon of butter and the flour together and stir into the stew. Add the frozen onions. In a medium saute pan, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and cook the mushrooms over medium-low heat for 5 to 10 minutes, until browned. Add to the stew. Bring the stew to a simmer and cook for another 10 minutes. Season to taste. Serve hot.