Ingredients:
4 chicken legs, with thighs attached or 6 chicken thighs (without legs)
4-6 thyme sprigs
4 garlic cloves, crushed or 1 tablespoons of garlic-shallot puree
1½ cups Cabernet Sauvignon
6 ounces beet juice (from unsweetened canned beets) - or another 3/4 cup additional Cabernet
½ tablespoon unsalted butter
3 slices bacon, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into ¼-inch pieces
16 pearl onions, peeled
2 medium carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon tomato paste
16 medium-large button mushrooms
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions:
Marinate the chicken pieces in a large casserole dish with wine, thyme, garlic and beet juice. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight, turning over once in a while to ensure even marinating.
When ready to cook, drain the chicken pieces on a paper towel and pat dry. Strain the marinade and reserve for the dish.
Preheat oven to 300 F. Melt butter in a Dutch oven. Brown the bacon bits, and scoot to the side of the pot. Brown the chicken pieces in the bacon fat on both sides, about 3 minutes each.
Add onions and carrots to the pot with the bacon. Add flour and stir well, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken stock and tomato paste, stirring to get all bits incorporated. Add strained marinade and bring to a boil.
Add the chicken, cover pot, and place in the oven for about 30 minutes, turning chicken once in a while until cooked.
Remove pot from oven and place on a burner. Remove chicken pieces and place in a casserole dish. Put in the oven to keep warm at about 180F.
Add the mushrooms to the cooking liquid and boil until the sauce is thickened and reduced by half, about 20 minutes. Remove thyme and season with salt and pepper.
When ready to serve, place chicken on plate with some vegetables and lots of sauce on top. Serve chicken with garlic mashed potatoes or risotto if desired.
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