Crockpot Coq au Vin

This is one of my favorite recipes.  Everybody loves it, it isn't that difficult, and the entire building smells good while I'm cooking it.

Crock pot coq au vin

Fancy, but really easy

Delicious dinner

Ingredients:

• 3 slices thick-cut bacon
• 2 medium onions, minced
• 8 medium garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tsp minced fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 tsp dried
• Table salt and ground black pepper
• 1 (750 ml) bottle dry red wine
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 3 Tbsp instant tapioca
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 pounds bone-in chicken pieces, skin removed and trimmed of excess fat
• 2 cups frozen pearl onions, thawed
• 1/3 cup water
• 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tsp sugar
• 10 ounces cremini mushrooms, trimmed, cleaned and halved

1. Cook bacon in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until crips, about 8 minutes. Transfer bacon to paper towel-lined plate, leaving fat in skillet, and refrigerate until serving time.
2. Pour off all but 2 Tbsp of bacon fat left in skillet and place over medium-high heat until shimmering.  Add onions, garlic, tomato paste, thyme, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring often, until onions ar softened and lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes.  Stir n wine, scraping up any browned bits, and cook until mixture measures about 3 cups, 8 to 10 minutes. 
3. Transfer mixture to slow cooker and stir in soy sauce, tapioca, and bay leaves until evenly combined.  Season chicken with salt and pepper and nestle in slow cooker.  Cover and cook on low until meat is tender, 4 to 5 hours.
4. About 20 minute before serving, bring pearl onions, water, butter, and sugar to boil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook until onions are fully thawed and tender, 5 to 8 minutes.  Uncover, increase heat to medium0high, and cook until all liquid evaporates, 3 to 4 minutes.  Add mushrooms and 1/4 teaspoon salt to skillet and cook, without stirring, for 2 minutes.  Stir and continue to cook, stirring often, until vegetables are browned and glazed, 8 to 12 minutes.  Remove skillet from heat and set aside.
5. Let cooking liquid settle for 5 minutes, then gently tilt slow cooker and remove as much fat as possible from surface using large spoon.  Remove bay leaves, stir in pearl onion mixture, and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Reheat bacon in microwave on high power until heated through and crisp, about 30 seconds.  Sprinkle individual portions of stew with crisp bacon before serving.

I use half breasts and half legs for the chicken and a cotes du rhone for the wine.  The onions, garlic, wine and bacon fat are THE MOST FLAVORFUL part of the cooking.  Enjoy!