A slow oven-braise is what makes these chicken thighs so tender! The wine and mushroom infused sauce are heavenly over a bed of egg noodles or mashed potatoes, or just use a crust of French bread to soak up the sauce.
Pour the wine into a sauce pan. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a moderate bubble. Cook until wine is reduced to 1½ cups -- about 15 minutes. Set aside.
Meanwhile, set a dutch oven or heavy pot over a medium to medium high heat. When pot is hot, add bacon and cook until browned and crisp. With a slotted spoon transfer bacon to a dish lined with paper towels to absorb excess grease.
Sprinkle chicken with ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Add chicken, skin side down to the hot dutch oven. Cook 4-5 minutes until browned. Using tongs, turn chicken and brown the other side for an additional 3-4 minutes. Transfer chicken to a tray. Reserve two tablespoons of grease and discard the rest.
Add celery, carrot and chopped onion to the pot. Cook 3-4 minutes until slightly softened. Transfer vegetables to a small bowl. Add the white mushrooms and cook until browned, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
Tie thyme and rosemary with a piece of kitchen string. Set aside.
Add dried porcini mushrooms to a clean coffee grinder or spice grinder. Pulse until a fine powder is formed. Set aside.
Add vegetables back to the pot. Add tomato paste and cook and stir until vegetables are well coated and tomato paste is fragrant. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the mushroom powder. Add wine reduction and herbs to the vegetables. Add the chicken broth and stir to combine.
Add chicken back to the pot and nestle the thighs (skin side up) into the braising liquid. Put the lid tightly on the pot and place in the oven. Braise for one hour.
Add pearl onions and remaining 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ½ teaspoon pepper then place the lid securely on the dutch oven and braise the coq au vin for an additional hour.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl add the butter and flour. Using the back of a fork, mash them together to form a paste -- (this is called a beurre manié).
Remove pot from the oven and place on the stove. Remove the chicken pieces and transfer them to a plate. Remove the herb bundle and discard. Skim any excess grease off the top of the braising liquid.
Add the beurre marnier to the dutch oven over medium high heat and cook, stirring frequently until mixture thickens and creates a gravy like consistency -- about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat. Add the chicken back to the pot.
Serve with buttered noodles, mashed potatoes or mashed cauliflower for a lower carbohydrate option and sprinkle with crumbled bacon.
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Notes
You don't have to add the beurre marnier to the braising liquid if you like a thinner sauce or are maintaining a gluten free diet.