SLOW COOKER COQ AU VIN

Slow Cooker Coq Au Vin image

Provided by Mikekey *

Categories Chicken

Time 18h

Number Of Ingredients 12

4-5 lb whole chicken (or just thighs)
1 1/2 l dry red wine (burgundy is good)
2 bay leaves
2 clove garlic
1/2 lb bacon slices
olive oil (or butter)
10 frozen pearl onions (no need to thaw)
8 oz button mushrooms (whole)
2 large carrots
1 Tbsp tomato paste
2 Tbsp cornstarch
salt and pepper, to taste

Steps:

1. Peel and slice garlic cloves. Cut chicken into pieces, or use thighs. Put in large bowl with bay leaves, thyme, and garlic. Pour enough wine over chicken to cover. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in refrigerator overnight.
2. Dice bacon. Fry until crisp. Remove to paper towel. Saute mushrooms in bacon drippings, adding oil or butter if needed, until they begin to brown.
3. Remove chicken from marinade, reserving marinade. Pat chicken dry with paper towel. Brown chicken pieces in oil or butter, on all sides.
4. Peel and slice carrots into 1/2 inch pieces. Put onions and carrots in bottom of slow cooker. Add chicken, mushrooms and bacon . Stir tomato paste into 2 cups of wine marinade (with garlic pieces and bay leaves) and pour over all. Discard remaining marinade. Cover and cook on low setting 6 hours.
5. Remove chicken to platter and keep warm. Stir cornstarch into 1/4 cup water and add to sauce. Turn slow cooker to high and cook until thickened. (You may want to use more cornstarch, depending on how thick you want gravy.) Stir in salt and pepper to taste. Return chicken to pot and serve.