Weeknight Coq au Vin

Is it the French name that makes people, myself included, think the dish is going to take all day? It won't. Although some time is usually taken up doing things like blanching the bacon, skimming the fat, and reducing the sauce, I pushed things a bit. In just over 30 minutes dinner was served. Much of that time is when the dish is simmering, so you can set the table, start a load of laundry, read a New Yorker article, or just stare into space.

Imagine: Coq au vin could be your new weeknight go-to meal.

It is possible to make this dish with any part of the chicken; I like the thighs because they are succulent and nestle into a pot nicely. If you have fresh mushrooms and want to make a super-classic version of the dish, add them to the sauce before reducing, just as the recipe is written for the dried mushrooms. Pearl onions are what you'll usually find in coq au vin, but they require a few extra steps, so for something equally tasty and not nearly as laborious, use any standard onion or a few shallots.

Coq au vin is usually served over wide egg noodles, but I like it with a few hunks of baguette and good butter. Roasted potatoes also make a good side dish.

Serves 6 to 8

• 6 to 8 large bone-in chicken thighs (about 3 pounds total)
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup dried wild mushrooms (about 1 ounce)
• 1/2 cup (1/2-inch) cubed pancetta or bacon (about 4 ounces)
• 1 large red or yellow onion, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 medium carrots, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 5 large cloves garlic, peeled and gently smashed
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 3 cups dry, fruity red wine, such as zinfandel or burgundy
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 fresh thyme sprigs
• 6 to 8 fresh parsley sprigs, for garnish

Place the dried mushrooms in a small bowl and pour enough boiling water over to just cover; set aside.

Place the pancetta or bacon in a 4- to 6-quart (large enough to accommodate the chicken) deep skillet or Dutch oven with a lid over medium heat, and cook until browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the onions and cook another minute, until onions begin to soften. Meanwhile, pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Push the pancetta and onions to one side of the pan. Turn the heat up to medium-high, add the chicken skin-side down in a single layer (in batches, if necessary), and cook until the fat is rendered and the skin is crisp and golden-brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Flip the chicken skin-side up and drain off any excess fat.

Add the carrots, garlic, tomato paste, wine, chicken broth, bay leaves, and thyme. Lower the heat so that the liquid just barely simmers. Cover and cook until chicken is cooked through and an instant-read thermometer reads 165°F, about 20 minutes.

Transfer the chicken pieces to a serving platter. Skim any excess fat off the top of the liquid. Remove the mushrooms from their soaking liquid and add them to the pot. Pour the mushroom liquid through a fine sieve or cheesecloth (to remove any grit) and into the pot. Turn the heat up to high and boil the mixture until the sauce is reduced by a third to a half, depending on how much time you have. Remove the bay leaves and thyme.

A few minutes before serving, put the chicken pieces back into the sauce to reheat. Serve each chicken thigh topped with a ladle of sauce and garnished with chopped parsley leaves or a whole parsley sprig.

Recipe Notes

Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days