A traditional French dish of chicken cooked with red wine, onions, mushrooms and bacon. This recipe is inspired by the wonderful Julia Child, who made French cooking approachable and fun. In 1996, Julia Child invited Leslie to her kitchen to film an episode of Baking with Julia. She’d been in Seattle, visited Macrina, and loved it. Leslie cites that experience as one of the great memories of her life. This version of the traditional recipe uses our grilled Sour White brushed with garlic oil to soak up the sauce and add texture. Made with red wine, it’s a perfect winter meal. For a summer treat, lighten it up by using Riesling.

Serves 4
2½ to 3 lbs whole chicken (preferably naturally raised), cut into 8 pieces (halve each breast, thighs and legs)
¾ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp black pepper, ground
4 Tbsp olive oil, divided
2 slices thick-cut bacon, cut in ½-inch pieces
5 cremini mushrooms, quartered
1 yellow onion, cut in ½-inch wedges
3 carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch dice
5 cloves garlic, finely chopped, divided
3 roma tomatoes, medium dice
2 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1 tsp fresh thyme, finely chopped
1 bay leaf
2 cups medium-bodied red wine
2 cups chicken stock
3 Tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour
4 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature, divided
1 Macrina Organic Sour White Loaf
¼ cup fresh parsley, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment and set aside.

Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. In a large, oven-proof roasting pan (with a lid to use later), add 2 Tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add 4 pieces of chicken and sauté for 2 minutes per side. Remove the golden-brown chicken pieces, add the remaining chicken and follow the same procedure. Remove the chicken and reduce the heat slightly. Add the bacon and render its fat. When bacon is crisp, use a slotted spoon to remove it. Set aside with the chicken. Add the mushrooms and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until golden brown. Reduce heat to medium. Add the onions and carrots, and sauté for another 3 to 4 minutes. Add ¾ of the garlic and the tomatoes, rosemary, thyme and bay leaf. Cook for 5 minutes to break down the tomatoes.

Return the chicken and bacon to the roasting pan. Add the red wine. Cook until the liquid is reduced by 25 percent, approximately 10 minutes. Add the chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Cover with the lid and place in the oven to roast for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the chicken is tender.

Remove the chicken from the sauce and set aside.

Use a fork to combine the flour and 2 Tbsp butter in a small bowl. Bring the sauce to a boil, then whisk in the flour-butter mixture. Whisk slowly as the sauce thickens, about 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce heat to low and season to taste with salt and pepper. Return the chicken to the sauce to warm through.

Cut the bread into ½-inch slices. In a small sauté pan, warm the remaining 2 Tbsp of olive oil, 2 Tbsp butter and the remaining chopped garlic over medium heat. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes to warm through and bring out the flavor of the garlic (don’t let the garlic brown). Brush the mix over the sliced bread. Place the bread slices on the prepared rimmed sheet pan and toast in the oven for 10 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown at the edges.

Serve in shallow bowls—add 2 pieces of chicken and a garlic bread slice to each dish. Divide the sauce and vegetables evenly and garnish with parsley. Enjoy with a full-bodied red wine to complement the rich sauce!