Coq au Vin Rouge with Glazed Pearl Onions and Smoky Lardons

⏱ 180 min · Serves 6

The great Burgundian braise, done properly: chicken marinated overnight in red wine, browned hard, then simmered low with brandy, thyme and bacon until the sauce turns glossy and deep. Pearl onions and mushrooms are glazed separately so they keep their shine. Serve with mash or crusty bread and the rest of the bottle.

Per serving: 712 kcal · 54.0g protein · 16.0g carbs · 41.0g fat

Ingredients

• 1.8kg free-range chicken, jointed into 8 pieces (or 8 bone-in thighs and drumsticks)
• 1 bottle (750ml) full-bodied red wine, ideally Burgundy or Pinot Noir
• 1 onion, quartered
• 2 carrots, cut into chunks
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 bay leaves
• 6 sprigs thyme
• 10 black peppercorns
• 200g smoked bacon lardons or thick-cut streaky bacon, diced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 40g unsalted butter, plus 20g for the onions
• 3 tbsp plain flour
• 3 tbsp brandy or Cognac
• 400ml chicken stock
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 250g pearl onions or small shallots, peeled
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 300g chestnut mushrooms, halved
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Small bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Method

1. The day before: put the chicken in a large bowl with the wine, quartered onion, carrots, garlic, bay, thyme and peppercorns. Cover and refrigerate 12–24 hours.
2. Lift the chicken out and pat very dry (this is essential for browning). Strain the marinade, keeping the liquid and the vegetables separately.
3. In a large casserole, fry the lardons in 1 tbsp oil over medium heat until golden and the fat has rendered, about 8 minutes. Scoop out and set aside.
4. Turn the heat up, add the remaining oil and 20g butter, and brown the chicken pieces hard in batches, skin-side first, 4–5 minutes a side. Set aside.
5. Add the drained marinade vegetables to the pot and cook 6–8 minutes until caramelised. Stir in the tomato purée and flour and cook 2 minutes.
6. Pour in the brandy, let it bubble away, then gradually whisk in the reserved wine. Bring to a boil and reduce by about a third, 10 minutes, skimming any scum.
7. Add the stock, return the chicken and lardons, tuck in fresh thyme and a bay leaf, season lightly, cover and cook at 160°C fan / 180°C conventional for 1 hour 15 minutes, until the meat is tender.
8. Meanwhile, melt 20g butter in a frying pan, add the pearl onions, sugar and a splash of water, cover and cook gently 12 minutes, then uncover and glaze until golden. Set aside. In the same pan, fry the mushrooms in the remaining butter over high heat until deeply browned.
9. Lift the chicken out onto a warm plate. Strain the sauce into a clean pan, pressing the vegetables, then simmer hard until it coats the back of a spoon, 10–15 minutes. Taste and season.
10. Return the chicken, onions and mushrooms to the sauce, warm through for 5 minutes, scatter with parsley and serve with buttery mash.