Coq au Vin (sans Vin)

While visiting my parents in Virginia, we were lucky to visit the local farmer's market.  We found some great local produce as well as a few local farmers.  This chicken (and our turkey on its way for Thanksgiving) is from Moving Meadows Farm, and it was absolutely delicious.  I really am looking forward to the turkey later this month, as well as visiting them more often when we go to visit my parents.  

I wanted to take a stab at this recipe without part of what makes it what it is (the wine).  I can't say I've actually had it traditionally cooked before, but I would take this as a meal anyway, so whether you're avoiding alcohol for dietary reasons, or just choose not to partake, this is an awesome redesign.  We hope you enjoy!

Ingredients

3 tbsp olive oil

5 slices of bacon, chopped

4 cloves garlic, crushed

1/2 cup of shallots, peeled

1 whole chicken (approx. 5 lbs), cut into 8 pieces

1/2 cup sliced Shitake mushrooms 

1 tbsp tomato paste

1 tbsp lemon juice

3 and 1/4 C homemade bone broth (or chicken broth)

3-4 sprigs of thyme

2 bay leaves

Method

If you haven't bought your chicken precut, you will need to eighth your chicken.  Remove giblets before this process begins, if your chicken came with them.  Using a sharp kitchen shears, cut the spine out of the chicken.  Then use a sharp cleaver to halve the bird at the breast (see the above picture).  Then cut off drum sticks, thighs and wings.  This will give you your eight pieces (breast x2, drumstick x2, thigh x2, wing x2). 

Once you've finished that, preheat the oven to 275ºF while you heat olive oil over medium heat over the range in your dutch oven.

Brown both sides of the chicken and set aside on a bowl/plate for the time being.

Sauté shallots and chopped bacon for approximately 5 minutes, mixing frequently.

Return chicken to dutch oven and add in broth, lemon juice, tomato paste, garlic, thyme, and bay leaves.  Cover and place in oven for 1 hour.

After one hour, open dutch oven and place mushrooms on top of everything.  Cover again and return to the oven for another hour.

Allow to sit for a few minutes to cool, and serve.  This chicken is fall off the bone tender, and absolutely fantastic.  The combination of flavors just hits the spot like a hearty stew (without the tubers).  Definitely worth the 2.5 hours of total cook and prep time, as it feeds two people a few meals, and makes the house smell fantastic.  Let us know you like it.  Bon appetit!