Step 1 of 10
Marinate the chicken in the wine with the bouquet garni, garlic, and a pinch of salt for 12–24 hours in the fridge. Turn once or twice.
Step 2 of 10
Remove the chicken and pat very dry. Strain and reserve the wine.
Step 3 of 10
In a heavy dutch oven, render the lardons over medium heat until crisp. Lift out with a slotted spoon and reserve.
Step 4 of 10
Brown the chicken pieces in the bacon fat over medium-high heat, skin-side first. 4 minutes per side. Don't crowd the pan.
Step 5 of 10
Pour off most of the fat. Add carrots and stir for 2 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook 60 seconds.
Step 6 of 10
Pour in the cognac. If you're confident, tip the pan toward a flame to flambé; if not, just simmer 30 seconds to burn off the alcohol.
Step 7 of 10
Return the chicken to the pot. Sprinkle flour over and stir. Pour in the reserved wine. Add bouquet garni. Bring to a simmer, cover, and braise at 160°C / 320°F for 1 hour.
Step 8 of 10
While the chicken braises, sauté the pearl onions in butter with a pinch of salt and sugar over medium-low heat until golden and glazed, 15 minutes. Lift out. In the same pan, sauté mushrooms in butter until deep brown, 8 minutes.
Step 9 of 10
Pull the dutch oven from the oven. Lift the chicken to a plate. Strain the sauce, return to the pot, and reduce over medium-high heat until it coats the back of a spoon, 10 minutes.
Step 10 of 10
Whisk in cold butter cubes one at a time off the heat. Return chicken, lardons, onions, mushrooms to the pot. Warm through. Taste — adjust salt and pepper.
Ingredients 14
the bird
- 1 whole chicken (~1.8 kg), cut into 8 pieces
- Sea salt
- Black pepper, freshly cracked
the braise
- 1 bottle (750 ml) dry red, ideally Burgundy or Pinot Noir
- 60 ml cognac (for flambé)
- 150 g smoked bacon lardons (or thick-cut bacon, diced)
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 2 carrots, sliced 1 cm thick
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- Bouquet garni: 4 sprigs thyme, 2 bay leaves, 6 parsley stems, tied
the garnish
- 20 small pearl onions or shallots, peeled
- 250 g cremini mushrooms, halved if large
the finish
- 60 g cold butter, cubed