Gluten Free · Dairy Free
French Classic Recipes
A festive version of the French classic — chicken thighs braised low and slow in rich red wine with bacon, root vegetables and mushrooms. The method is almost identical to a Bœuf Bourguignon, but the shorter cooking time keeps the chicken beautifully tender.
Ingredients
- 1½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 6 ounces bacon, diced
- 6–8 chicken thighs, skin on
- 2 large carrots, sliced in ½-inch rounds
- 1 medium turnip, diced
- 2 sticks of celery, chopped fine
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic (crush and mince 4, leave 4 whole)
- ¼ tsp rough grey salt or salt from preserved lemons
- Ground pepper to taste
- 1 tsp ground coriander seed
- 1 tablespoon gluten-free flour
- 15 small shallots or pearl onions, peeled but left whole
- 1 bottle of rich red wine — a Spanish Rioja, French Burgundy, Madiran or Saint Mont
- 1 tablespoon agave syrup, to balance the acidity of the tomato and wine
- 3 cups of stock (or water honestly works fine too)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup of tomato sauce
- 1 bouquet garni (a bay leaf tied around a bunch of thyme)
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 15 or so medium cremini mushrooms, halved or sliced
- 2 tablespoons dairy-free butter
Instructions — Traditional Oven Method
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F).
- Heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot. Sauté the chopped bacon over medium heat until browned and crispy. Remove the bacon from the oil and set aside for later — but keep that bacon fat!
- Pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel and sear in the hot bacon fat until browned on all sides. Remove from the pot and set aside with the bacon.
- In the remaining fat, sauté the turnip, celery, carrots and diced onion for about 3 minutes until softened. Add the 4 whole cloves of garlic and barely cook — about 1 minute.
- Drain the excess fat (leave about 1 tablespoon in the pot) and return the bacon and chicken. Season with coarse salt, ground coriander and pepper. Sprinkle with the flour, toss well and cook for 4–5 minutes until lightly browned.
- Add the shallots, wine and enough stock or water so the chicken is barely covered. Stir in the tomato paste, tomato sauce, agave syrup, and add the bouquet garni and fresh herbs. Bring to a simmer on the stove.
- Put the lid on the pot and move it to the lower shelf in the oven. Turn the heat down to 190°C and continue to cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour. It's ready when the meat is beautifully tender.
- As you approach the end of the cooking time, prepare the mushrooms. Melt the dairy-free butter in a frying pan, add the 4 crushed and minced cloves of garlic and cook for just 30 seconds, watching carefully to make sure they don't burn. Add a big pinch of fresh thyme and the mushrooms. Cook for about 5 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally to coat them with the butter. Season with salt and pepper if desired. Once browned, set aside.
- Adjust the seasoning of the sauce — add more salt, or a touch of sugar or more agave if it is a bit acidic. Stir in the mushrooms, make sure everything is hot and proceed to plating.
Garnish with chopped parsley and serve with mashed potatoes, gnocchi, rice or noodles.
Can also be prepared a day in advance and served the next day — the flavours only improve overnight.
