I'm all about quick and easy meals, especially on the weeknight. But then sometimes it's so fun to roll up your sleeves and take your time putting an hour or two preparing a delicious dinner.
I've been wanting to try Coq au Vin ever since I've heard of it, so when I found an easy version of it in Cooking Light, I knew I had to try it. It's still not exactly a 30 minute meal, but it's fun to make and has all the taste of a slow cooked meal. This was a huge hit with my whole family and it goes perfectly with rice. So next time you have some time, give this a try!
Easy Coq Au Vin
By Cooking Light
Ingredients
4 applewood-smoked bacon slices, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 chicken drumsticks, skinned
4 chicken thighs, skinned
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 (750-milliliter) bottle red wine
2 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
8 ounces button mushrooms, quartered
6 ounces frozen pearl onions
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Directions
1. Cook bacon in a large, deep skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan. Reserve 2 tablespoons drippings in pan. Sprinkle chicken with salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add chicken to drippings in pan; cook 5 minutes on each side or until browned. Remove chicken from pan.
2. Add onion and next 5 ingredients (through bay leaves); cook 5 minutes. Add tomato paste; cook 1 minute. Stir in wine; bring to a boil. Cook 10 minutes or until reduced by half, stirring occasionally. Return chicken to pan. Add broth; bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer 35 minutes or until chicken is done, turning after 20 minutes. Remove chicken from pan; cover.
3. Heat a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil to pan, and swirl to coat. Add button mushrooms and pearl onions; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook for 10 minutes or until golden, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
4. Place chicken cooking liquid over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Cook until reduced by half (about 10 minutes). Discard bay leaves. Stir in mushroom mixture. Return chicken to pan; simmer 5 minutes or until heated. Sprinkle with parsley and bacon.
