Coq au vin: chicken in wine

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp. l. olive oil
• 110 g bacon or pancetta, diced
• 1 chicken weighing 1.3-1.8 kg, cut into 8 pieces
• 220 g carrots, cut diagonally into 2.5 cm thick pieces.
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
• 1/4 cup cognac or quality brandy
• Half a bottle (375 ml) of good quality dry red wine, such as Burgundy
• 1 cup chicken broth, preferably homemade
• 10 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, divided
• 1.5 tbsp flour
• 220 g frozen pearl onions
• 220 g of mushrooms without stems, cut into thick pieces

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 120°C.
2. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven. Add the bacon and cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until crispy. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a plate.
3. Meanwhile, place the chicken on paper towels and pat dry. Season both sides of the chicken generously with salt and black pepper. After removing the bacon from the pan, fry the chicken pieces in the same fat in batches, in a single layer, for about 5 minutes until evenly browned. Transfer the fried pieces to the plate with the bacon and continue frying the remaining chicken until all the chicken is cooked through.
4. Add the onion, 2 teaspoons of salt, and 1 teaspoon of black pepper to the same pot and cook over medium heat for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is browned. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Pour in the cognac and return the bacon, chicken, and any juices to the pot. Add the wine, chicken broth, and thyme and bring to a simmer. Cover the pot tightly and place it in the oven for 30-40 minutes, until the chicken is tender. Remove from the oven and return the pot to the stovetop.
5. Cream 1 tablespoon of butter with the flour and stir into the stew. Add the frozen onion. Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter in a medium skillet and sauté the mushrooms over medium heat for 5-10 minutes, until darkened. Add them to the stew. Bring the stew to a boil and simmer for another 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.