Donal’s coq au vin

A slightly simplified coq au vin, which relies on a full-bodied wine like a malbec or cabernet sauvignon to infuse the chicken with depth and richness. Serve this with rice or crusty bread to mop up the sauce.

Credit: Donal's Meals in Minutes

• serves

  4

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  1 hour

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 1½ tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
• Sea salt and black pepper
• 8 chicken thighs, skin on
• 150 g streaky bacon, chopped
• 200 g button mushrooms
• A few fresh thyme sprigs
• 4 garlic cloves, bashed
• 300 ml full-bodied red wine
• 200 ml fresh chicken stock

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a sauté pan over a medium heat. Lightly season the chicken, add it to the pan and brown all over. Remove the chicken from the dish and set aside.

2. Add the bacon to the pan and fry until golden, then add the mushrooms and fry for a couple of minutes until golden.

3. Return the chicken to the dish and add the thyme, garlic, wine and stock. Bring to the boil then reduce to a simmer, partially cover with a lid, and cook over a low heat for 30 minutes, removing the lid after 20 minutes. The chicken should be very tender and the sauce glossy and a little reduced.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.