First get your butcher to cut the whole chicken into pieces or, if you have a good knife, do this at home. As a result, you have a mixture of on and off-bone chicken. (I like to keep the skin on just for the thighs and remove the rest to cut down on the fat but this is personal. If you prefer it all with the skin, then go ahead but it will make the sauce even richer.)
Boil the red wine in a saucepan until reduced by a third then cool. (This removes the alcohol and intensifies the colour and flavours.)In a large bowl with the chicken bits, add the carrots, bay leaf, thyme, garlic, peppercorns and onions and pour over the cooled wine.
Cover and leave to marinate in the fridge for 24 hours.
Preparing the Chicken & Sauce
Next day, drain the marinade into a colander over a bowl to separate the juices.
Dry the chicken pieces with kitchen paper. Then, over a high heat in a heavy-based casserole dish, fry the chicken in olive oil on all sides for about 10 minutes or until cooked through. Flambé with the Cognac.
Sprinkle over the chicken with the flour and toss around the pan to coat it all evenly. Gradually add the marinade liquid while tossing the chicken around (this will stop any lumps from forming). Boil up the sauce until it's bubbling and thickened.
Add the marinade vegetables minus the bouquet garni. Lower the heat and leave to simmer with the lid on for about an hour (or more, depending on the sizes of your chicken pieces)*.
Dry fry the bacon bits (there's enough fat in the bacon already), mushrooms and pearl onions in a separate pan. Then add to the dish. Leave to reduce together for a further 15-20 minutes.
Notes
Note: please don't use dried herbs - fresh thyme and parsley are not an option. For more, see the market page on bouquet garni and aromatic herbs.Serve with good, crusty fresh baguettes. Alternatively serve with sautéd potatoes or a gratin dauphinois.* The kind of chicken used does change the cooking time. If you do use a coq, then cooking time will be another hour. If chicken is already soft and tender, cooking time can be about an hour to 2 hours. Nutritional Information:782 calories for 5 portions (74g protein)
Keyword chicken casserole in red wine, chicken stew, coq au vin, French chicken recipe