Low Carb Coq Au Vin (THM S)
Who's ready for another one-pot wonder?!
If I haven't said it enough already, I really love my cast iron Dutch oven. It's perfect for my chili, stews, everything. This lady in red has been making dinner a lot easier lately.
If you haven't had Coq Au Vin before, it's a French country chicken stew. Most often, I see it with mushrooms and onions. However, you can add a wider array of vegetables if you like - celery, shallots, carrots, or parsnips would also be good here.
All those beautiful veggies and chicken pieces get cooked down in some dry red wine. I used Côtes du Rhône because the Barefoot Contessa tells me that's a good red wine, and I'm not about argue. ^_^
I started by rendering the fat from a few slices of chopped bacon.
Once the bacon starts to crisp, remove it from the pan with a slotted spoon and set to the side.
Season your chicken pieces with salt and pepper on both sides. I used chicken thighs and breasts.
Crisp the chicken on both sides, in one layer of your pan. Brown the pieces in multiple batches if needed, then remove to a plate. The chicken does not need to be fully cooked yet, as it will cook through later.
Add the mushrooms, carrots, red onion, and garlic to the pan with an extra pat of butter (or coconut oil) if the pan is looking dry. Saute about 5 minutes, until the mushrooms start to have a little color. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with the xanthan gum.
De-glaze the pan with the red wine, picking up any bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon.
Add the pearl onions, chicken pieces, bacon, and whole thyme sprigs. Top off with a little chicken stock if it looks like you still need more liquid. Cover, bring to boil, and reduce to simmer for about 20 minutes.
Remove the lid after 20 minutes, and continue simmering another 10-15 minutes until some of the liquid reduces.
Shred the chicken roughly, if you like (it will be falling apart anyway). Turn off the heat, and add a handful of fresh chopped parsley. Don't forget to remove the woody thyme stems - the leaves come off in the stew.
YUM. Tender, delicious chicken in a rich red wine sauce with hearty vegetables. How can you go wrong?
I served this stew as-is for me. For my young creatures, I poured it over some cooked brown rice.