slow cooked chicken riesling (coq au vin)

Finally. It’s here. My very favorite season. The season of the Crock Pot.

In my house, technically every season is Crock Pot season. But Fall seems to be when everyone else starts scouring the web for slow cooker recipes. Blowing up my Pinterest feed with images of game day chili, roasts, and (this year in particular) everything quinoa, slowly cooked to perfection. So many drool-worthy ideas, it throws me into a food nerd coma. I just sit and stare at my screen like an idiot.

Yup, I’m a sucker for yummy things.

Know what else I’m apparently a sucker for? This limited edition French Bull designed Crock Pot…

So much that I decided it was more important than a new pair of brown riding boots for the season. A decision that will ultimately benefit you, since now I need to get my money’s worth by coming up with a slew of new slow cooker recipes.

This Chicken Riesling didn’t photograph as well as I’d hoped. (Blame that on the glaring Arizona sun.) But, it tastes absolutely amazing. I mean, come on, how could it not? Thick cut bacon, mushrooms, garlic, fresh carrots, onion, BACON, and pan seared chicken, slowly simmering in the perfect combination of seasoned chicken stock and sweet white wine. So. Good.

Chicken Riesling
(makes 4 – 6 servings)
4 lb chicken legs and thighs (around 8 pieces. skin on, bone in)
Salt & freshly ground pepper
2 tbsp butter
6 slices thick cut bacon (chopped)
8 oz button mushrooms (sliced)
1 large yellow onion (finely chopped)
3 cloves garlic (finely minced)
1 cup baby carrots (chopped)
3 tbsp flour
24 oz Riesling (1 bottle)
2 cups reduced sodium chicken stock
3 sprigs fresh thyme
Cooked egg noodles (for serving)

Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Melt the butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the chopped bacon and cook until browned and crisp. Transfer the cooked bacon to a paper towel. Add the chicken pieces, skin side down, to the pan with the bacon drippings and cook until golden brown. 4 – 5 minutes on each side. Transfer the chicken to the slow cooker and scatter the bacon pieces on the top.

Pour off all but 2 – 3 tbsp of the drippings from the frying pan, then return the pan to high heat and add the mushrooms. Sauté the shrooms until golden brown (4 – 5 minutes), then add the onions, garlic and carrots. Sauté until the onions are softened (around 2 more minutes) then add the flour and stir to coat evenly. Cook for two more minutes then add the wine and bring the mixture to a boil. Stir to scrape the goodness from the bottom of the pan. Pour in the broth and bring everything back to a boil, then transfer it all to the slow cooker with the bacon covered chicken. SEE, isn’t this amazing??

Last but not least, throw the thyme sprigs on top of the chicken. Cover and cook on high  for 2 1/2 hours or low for 5 hours. When it’s done, remove and discard the thyme sprigs and season the chicken to taste with salt and pepper.

To serve, spoon the chicken and amazing mix of wine soaked veggies over cooked egg noodles.

Oh, and don’t worry about my poor, neglected, bootless feet. I’m sure I’ll eventually end up buying myself some new brown riding kicks this season too, since that’s the other drool-worthy thing blowing up my Pinterest feed right now. Yup, I’m home right now staring at boots and quinoa. And my fancy new Crock Pot.

OMFG. SO GOOD.