Coq Au Vin Pasta Recipe (Coq Au Vin Reinvented – Big Flavor in Just 30 Minutes!)

Instructions

1. In a large sauté pan, cook the diced bacon slowly over low heat until the fat renders and the bacon is lightly crispy but not crunchy. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set it aside, leaving the bacon fat in the pan. Add the diced onion to the bacon fat, season lightly with kosher salt, and sautéuntil the onions are soft and beginning to caramelize.

2. While the onions cook, debone the chicken thighs if needed. Trim any excess fat or cartilage and cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. (Save bones and scraps for stock if desired.) In a separate sauté pan (preheated to 365°F / 185°C), sear the chicken pieces. Season with a little salt and coarse black pepper. Sear until the chicken is nicely caramelized on all sides— don’t rush this step. Color = flavor!

3. Back to the pan with the onions: Add the quartered mushrooms and cook without stirring too much to allow them to caramelize and release their water. Add the chopped garlic and thyme to the mushrooms. When the garlic is fragrant (but before it browns), immediately pour in the red wine to prevent burning. Deglaze the pan, scraping up all the browned bits from the bottom, and add the bay leaves. Let the wine reduce until it no longer smells harsh or raw — taste as it reduces. If it's still sharp, keep cooking.

4. Once the chicken is nicely golden, deglaze its pan with a little wine as well, scraping up all the flavorful bits. When reduced, combine the mushroom and wine mixture with the chicken. Add the reserved bacon back into the pan. Add the chicken stock and bring everything to a gentle simmer. Lower the heat, cover the pan, and braise the chicken gently for 20–30 minutes, until meltingly tender.