Coq au Vin, Simplified

Cut the bacon into big bite-size chunks, ideally from slab bacon or salt pork.

Place the bacon chunks into a large, cold pan with a lid. Turn the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until crispy. This can take up to 30 minutes for thick chunks.

Coat the boneless, skinless chicken thighs in a dusting of flour on a plate.

Break up any very large chunks of dried mushrooms, considering they will double in size when rehydrated. Optionally follow steeping and filtering instructions on the package to remove grit, if desired.

Once bacon is crispy, push it to the side of the pan (or remove some fat if desired). Fry the floured chicken thighs in the bacon fat over medium-high heat until brown on both sides. This should take about 10 minutes.

Make a well in the center of the pan and add a tablespoon of tomato paste. Fry it until it’s about to burn, then deglaze the pan with red wine, scraping up any bits from the bottom.

Pour in enough water or chicken stock to almost cover the chicken. Add the dried mushrooms, dried herbs (like Herbes de Provence), and pepper. Do not add much salt yet if using salty bacon or salt pork.

Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the pan, and let it cook for about an hour or until the chicken is soft to your liking. After about 30 minutes, consider removing the lid if the sauce looks too watery to allow reduction.

When the sauce is at your desired thickness and the chicken is tender, stir in the frozen pearl onions and let them thaw in the hot sauce. Cover if needed to speed up thawing.

Taste the sauce for seasoning. Add a pinch of salt if needed and a splash of vinegar to freshen the flavor. Stir gently to avoid breaking up the tender chicken.

Boil the dried egg noodles in salted water according to package instructions, about 10 minutes. Drain and mix in butter to melt.

Right before serving, tear fresh parsley or tarragon into the noodles for garnish and stir to combine.

Plate the noodles, carefully place tender chicken pieces on top, and ladle over the sauce with bacon, mushrooms, and onions. Serve with a glass of the remaining red wine used for cooking.