Weeknight Coq au Vin

Instructions

1. 01

   Place the dried mushrooms in a small bowl and pour enough boiling water over to just cover; set aside.

2. 02

   Place the pancetta or bacon in a 4- to 6-quart (large enough to accommodate the chicken) deep skillet or Dutch oven with a lid over medium heat, and cook until browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the onions and cook another minute, until onions begin to soften. Meanwhile, pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Push the pancetta and onions to one side of the pan. Turn the heat up to medium-high, add the chicken skin-side down in a single layer (in batches, if necessary), and cook until the fat is rendered and the skin is crisp and golden-brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Flip the chicken skin-side up and drain off any excess fat.

3. 03

   Add the carrots, garlic, tomato paste, wine, chicken broth, bay leaves, and thyme. Lower the heat so that the liquid just barely simmers. Cover and cook until chicken is cooked through and an instant-read thermometer reads 165°F, about 20 minutes.

4. 04

   Transfer the chicken pieces to a serving platter. Skim any excess fat off the top of the liquid. Remove the mushrooms from their soaking liquid and add them to the pot. Pour the mushroom liquid through a fine sieve or cheesecloth (to remove any grit) and into the pot. Turn the heat up to high and boil the mixture until the sauce is reduced by a third to a half, depending on how much time you have. Remove the bay leaves and thyme.

5. 05

   A few minutes before serving, put the chicken pieces back into the sauce to reheat. Serve each chicken thigh topped with a ladle of sauce and garnished with chopped parsley leaves or a whole parsley sprig.

6. 06

   Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.