Classic coq au vin or red wine braised chicken is a perfect one pot meal for the wintertime. Boneless, skinless chicken breasts braised in red wine along with mushrooms, carrots, and pearl onions. What more could you need?

Back to life, back to reality. Or so the song goes. At least you made it through Monday, am I right? The rest is downhill? Uphill? One day closer to Friday.

I haven’t been Marie Kondo-ing my house yet. Most likely because I haven’t watched her Netflix show yet.

Key word in both of those sentences is “yet.”

One thing I have been doing is making dinners again. Yay me, right?

I am just doing what I am usually supposed to be doing. Now I am asking for accolades. Ha. It’s not like I took off for two whoooole weeks but well, it sort of is.

But, I’m back now.

Since it is still drab old winter (I swear to God if Andy asks me, “Is it summer yet?” one more time I might freak out) I am in full blown comfort food mode.

Get ready for lots of pasta, chili, and soup recipes coming down the pipeline.

I have a food blogger bucket list, as most of us in this profession do I believe.

I already tackled short ribs, poaching eggs, Julia Child’s Beef Bourguignon, and tamales.

Next up for me was the classic coq au vin.

There is nothing at all fancy about this recipe. It is just some chicken slowly braised in red wine alongside some veggies.

You were probably expecting a little more with such a fancy French name. Fear not.

This recipe may lack ingredients, but it is not lacking in the flavor department.

I even lightened it up ever so slightly by using boneless skinless chicken breasts.

Boneless skinless chicken breasts still bring as much, flavor and fat-wise, to coq au vin as a whole chicken.

The real reason I went with boneless skinless wasn’t for health; it was for convenience.

The last thing I want to do on a weeknight between kids, school, laundry, and work is separate a whole chicken. Right?

Coq au vin can easily be cooked in the slow cooker too. Even easier!

It’s one of those meals that will warm you up on a cold day and make you feel like a kitchen star because it has everything you need (main and side dish) all in one pot.

Winner, winner chicken dinner for sure!

Coq au Vin (Red Wine Braised Chicken)

Yield: serves 2-4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours 15 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours 25 minutes

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts braised slowly with carrots, mushrooms, and onions in a red wine sauce.

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Ingredients

• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 pieces of bacon, diced
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• salt
• pepper
• 8oz baby portabella mushrooms, sliced in half
• 1/2 pound carrots (about 4-5), peeled and cut into 1-2" pieces
• 8oz frozen pearl onions
• 1/4 cup brandy
• 1/2 bottle of dry red wine
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 7 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 tbsp all purpose flour

Instructions

1. If using the oven, preheat to 250 degrees F.
2. Heat a large dutch oven over medium/high heat. Once hot, add oil. When the oil is shimmering, add bacon. Cook until crisp, about 5-7 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon and transfer to a plate.
3. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Brown the chicken on each side for about 8 minutes total, 4 minutes per side. once browned, transfer to nearby plate.
4. Add mushrooms and sauté until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Don't salt mushrooms until after they brown.
5. Add carrots and onions to pot. Sauté for about 5 minutes. Add a bit more salt and pepper.
   
6. Mix in the butter and flour u til the flour is no longer visible.
7. Reduce heat to low, add brandy. Stir to combine and deglaze the pan. Add red wine and chicken stock. Nestle the chicken back into the pot along with the bacon, thyme, and bay leaf.
8. FOR THE OVEN METHOD: Place the pot in the oven to cook for 2 hours.
9. FOR SLOW COOKER: After adding in the red wine and chicken stock, transfer all the contents of the pot to the slow cooker. Add chicken, bacon, thyme and bay leaf to the slow cooker. Cover with lid and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4.
10. Once the chicken is done cooking, remove bay leaf and thyme stems.
11. Serve along side some crusty bread or as is.

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