Fancy a classic French dish for dinner tonight? For a lovely meal that doesn’t take too long to whip up, try our easy take on coq au vin.
This casserole recipe uses chicken thighs, which are braised in red wine with mushrooms and bacon to achieve the classic coq au vin taste with no fussy bits.
Everything is cooked in one pot, so it’s super easy to put together, you just have to cook the chicken thighs for a little while first before you add the rest of the ingredients.
Tossing the chicken thighs in flower before you cook them helps to thicken up the sauce while the casserole cooks, and results in a wonderfully thick texture that’s really hearty and warming.
This recipe serves two people, but you can easily double it up if you’ve got guests coming over or would just like a big batch to freeze for another day.
Ingredients
- chicken thighs, skin removed
- 1tsp plain flour
- 8 small shallots, peeled
- 75g (3oz) chestnut mushrooms
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
- 2 rashers back bacon (approx 70g/3oz), rind removed, and cut into large strips
- 2 sprigs thyme
- 1 bay leaf150ml (1/4pt) red wine
- 150ml (1/4pt) chicken stock
Method
Dip the chicken thighs in the flour and place in a small saucepan or casserole dish that can be used over direct heat. Add all the other ingredients. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Bring the chicken to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 35 minutes or until the chicken is cooked. It should come away from the bone easily with a knife.
