For some reason I always thought this was a complicated dish, so I was pleasantly surprised to find out how easy it is – and how good!  Whether you cook this on the range, in the oven or in a slow cooker, how can these ingredients possibly not work?   This is a simplified version of the french classic, so you can impress your family and friends by serving ‘coq-au-vin’ as an everyday meal.

Melt in a heavy skillet or pot:

2 T. olive oil
2 T. butter

Add and lightly saute:
1 slice bacon or salt pork (optional)
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 carrot, sliced
1 celery stalk, sliced

Add and brown:
1/2 kg (1 lb) boneless, skinless chicken thighs – (approx. 8 thighs or 2 per serving)

Move meat and veggies aside and stir in:
2 T. flour
2 T. minced parsley (fresh if possible)
1 small bay leaf
1  T. oregano
1 t. tarragon
1/2 t. thyme
1 t. salt
fresh ground pepper

Add to pan (see below):
1 small tin or 1/2 lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced (optional)
1/4 cup brandy or cognac
2 cups red wine (dry)

For stovetop cooking: Add mushrooms, brandy & wine.  Cover pot and reduce heat to med-low to simmer for 1 to 1.5 hours. Stir occassionally to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom of the pan.
For oven cooking: Preheat oven to 325F.  Transfer all ingredients to casserole dish.  Add mushrooms, brandy & wine, cover and bake for 1-2 hours.
For slow cooker: Transfer all ingredients to slow cooker.  Add mushrooms, brandy & wine, cover and cook according to slow cooker instructions for chicken pieces (will vary depending on slow cooker settings).

Check the chicken after about 1 hour cooking.  It should be extremely tender; if not tender enough, continue to cook on low heat, checking every 20-30 minutes to make sure it doesn’t overdo.

Remove and serve with your favourite side –

Our favourite combination with this?  Suz’s All Olive Mashed Potatoes (see recipe), a green salad and fresh baked french bread.