White Wine Coq au Vin

Happy weekend! I must say, this past week has been an exciting one. There must have been something in the air lately, because all sorts of exciting, work-related things have been happening!

First off, many of you may know that I am currently self-employed. This means I have a lot of freedom in my work schedule, but work itself has not always been steady. One of the start-up companies I work for, Big Red Marketing, has been looking to grow our client base for some time. For three months...nothing happened. Then this past week...we may have reeled in FOUR new clients in the space of three days! This includes our first winery, an awesome antiques show, a local non-profit, and an interior decor/home design company. We are booked with meetings for the rest of this month! On top of that, our very dear friend Stephen was offered a firefighter job after years of pursuing his chosen career path. Cheers to new business ventures!

 

What better way to celebrate than with a glass of wine? Or perhaps, an entire dish cooked with wine in mind? I recently made this tasty Coq au Vin dish that was featured in Sunset magazine. It turned out great and I am excited to share it with you here. Traditionally coq au vin is made with red wine I believe, but this one is modified and lightened up using white wine. The bacon is a perfect touch. You may be tempted to add more bacon than is called for, but stick with the recommended amount. Too much bacon will overpower the other flavors in the dish.

 Brightened up with some fresh tarragon

And of course, bacon!

I served the stew with a side of homemade rosemary foccocia bread.

Ingredients:

4 1/2 tablespoons flour   

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided

1 teaspoon herbes de Provence

4 slices bacon (1/4 lb.), chopped

1 1/2 pounds boned, skinned chicken thighs

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 cups peeled baby carrots

3 stalks celery

1 medium onion

1 1/3 cups Chardonnay

2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

1/2 cup lightly packed flat-leaf parsley sprigs

1/4 cup lightly packed fresh tarragon sprigs

Preparation:

1. In a plastic bag, shake flour with 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. pepper, and the herbs de Provence; set aside.

2. In a 5- to 6-qt. pan over medium-high heat, brown bacon, stirring occasionally, 6 to 7 minutes. Meanwhile, cut chicken into 1-in. chunks, then shake half at a time in flour to coat.

3. With a slotted spoon, transfer bacon from pan to paper towels. Brown half the chicken in bacon fat, stirring occasionally, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining chicken, adding oil to pan. Meanwhile, cut carrots in half lengthwise and cut celery into diagonal slices. Chop onion.

4. Add vegetables to pan with remaining salt and pepper and sauté until onion is golden, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a microwave-safe bowl, microwave wine and broth until steaming, about 3 minutes.

5. Add broth mixture, chicken, and bacon to pan, stirring to loosen browned bits. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, coarsely chop parsley and tarragon. Stir them into stew.