Quick Coq au Vin

I used to use rotisserie chickens all the time. Not so much anymore. For one, we’ve cut back on our meat consumption, but it’s more because most rotisserie chickens are factory farmed. Now that there’s a Whole Foods five minutes down the road, it’s easy to get a an organic, free-range rotisserie chicken, so a whole world of dishes I haven’t made in awhile are possible.

Take Coq au Vin, for instance… if you start with a fully cooked rotisserie chicken, cooking time is dramatically reduced. Not only do you save browning time, but you also save cooking time too. The stew needs only to simmer long enough for flavors to blend and small new potatoes to cook, which is about fifteen minutes.

I know spring is almost here, but was nineteen degrees when I got up this morning, so I’m still sticking with my cold weather comfort dishes. If you’re leaning towards spring, feel free to substitute jarred or frozen artichoke hearts for the mushrooms (which will also shave off another few minutes of cooking) and white wine for the red.

Quick Coq au Vin

 

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by: Three Many Cooks

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 package (8 ounces) sliced baby bella mushrooms
• 1 large onion
• 3 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme or rosemary (or 1 teaspoon dried)
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup red wine
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 rotisserie chicken, organic, free-range if possible, cut into 2 legs, 2 thighs, 2 wings, and each breast halved crosswise for a total of 4 pieces
• 1 pound small new potatoes, rinsed and halved
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms; sauté until liquid evaporates and mushrooms start to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl and set aside.
2. Heat remaining tablespoon of oil; add onions and sauté until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and thyme; cook until fragrant, about a minute.
3. Stir in flour, then wine and broth; bring to a simmer. Add chicken, mushrooms, and potatoes. Return to a simmer, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, until flavors blend and potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in parsley. Cover and let stand 5 minutes. Serve.

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