Ingredients:

  • 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 2.5 lbs / 1.1 kg)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (plus more for dusting)
  • 4 ounces bacon or pancetta, diced (about 115g)
  • 1 large onion, chopped (about 200g)
  • 2 carrots, peeled and chopped (about 150g)
  • 2 celery stalks, chopped (about 100g)
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 pound cremini mushrooms, quartered (about 450g)
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 (750ml) bottle dry red wine (Burgundy, Pinot Noir, or Beaujolais recommended)
  • 1 cup chicken broth (240ml)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
  • 2 tablespoons butter (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (for thickening, if needed, optional)

Instructions:

  1. Pat chicken thighs dry. Season with salt, pepper, and dust lightly with flour.
  2. Heat olive oil in the Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear chicken thighs in batches until golden brown on all sides. Remove chicken and set aside.
  3. Add diced bacon (or pancetta) to the Dutch oven and cook until crispy. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside, reserving the rendered fat in the pot.
  4. Add onion, carrots, and celery to the pot and sauté until softened, about 8-10 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
  5. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Add quartered mushrooms and cook until softened and browned.
  6. Pour in the red wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring to a simmer and reduce slightly.
  7. Return the chicken and bacon to the pot. Add chicken broth, bay leaf, thyme, and rosemary. Bring to a simmer, then cover the pot and reduce heat to low. Braise for 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours, or until the chicken is fork-tender.
  8. If the sauce is too thin, remove the chicken from the pot. In a small bowl, whisk together softened butter and flour to create a beurre manié. Whisk the beurre manié into the simmering sauce until thickened.
  9. Discard bay leaf. Return chicken to the pot. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve hot.