This is a fun twist on a French classic, Coq au Vin.  This is a little less heavy than versions made with red wine but that doesn’t mean that it is lacking in flavor, this dish is out of this world.

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken
6 slices bacon, thick cut
2 bags boiler onions
1 package Shiitake mushrooms – sliced
2 carrots
2 celery stalks
1 tablespoon Fresh Rosemary – chopped
1 tablespoon Fresh Thyme  – chopped
5 cloves garlic
1 bottle of White Bordeaux
2 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Salt and Pepper to taste
Chopped parsley for garnish

In a large cast iron dutch oven, render the fat out of the bacon and reserve the bacon pieces for later.  Leave the bacon fat in the dutch oven.

Peel and half the onions, dice the celery and carrots and remove the ends from the gloves of garlic.

Add the onions, celery, carrots, rosemary, thyme and garlic to the bacon fat over medium-high heat and cook until they begin to become translucent.

Once the veggies have started to soften, add the mushrooms and cook down until they wilt.

Add the entire bottle of white wine and continue to simmer over medium heat.  Add salt and pepper.

Prepare the chicken by separating the thighs, legs and breasts.  I always cut the breasts in half  to create 8 pieces of chicken.

Sear the chicken over high hear in a non-stick skillet until the sides are slightly browned – but not cooked through.

Add the browned chicken to the put with enough chicken stock to cover the chicken.  Put a lid over the chicken and simmer on medium heat for 45 minutes.

Remove the chicken from the sauce and place on a platter.

Add 1 cup of the sauce to a food processor and add 2 tablespoons of corn starch.  Blend until the starch is dissolved and add the mixture back to the simmering liquid.  Stir until the sauce thickens.

Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve with a sprinkling of parsley. This is a perfect meal for a cold evening.  I served this over mashed cauliflower and celery root and received rave reviews from my friends and family.