Wine-Braised Small Game Birds

Ingredients

• 6 small game birds
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  • 4 pounds bone-in chicken parts or one 4- to 4 ½-pound chicken
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 4 slices thick-cut bacon, cut crosswise into ¼-inch strips
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 carrot, chopped
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 3 cups dry red wine
  • 1 cup chicken stock or broth
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 bay leaves
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ½ teaspoon dried marjoram or oregano, crumbled
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • (1 ½ cups pearl onions, peeled)
  • 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
  • Salt and black pepper
  • (Minced parsley)

  Sub-recipe steps

  1. Have ready: 4 pounds bone-in chicken parts or one 4- to 4 ½-pound chicken
  2. If using a whole bird, remove the neck and giblets and cut the chicken into 10 pieces (see About Cutting Up Raw Poultry). Season the chicken with: 2 teaspoons salt; 1 teaspoon black pepper
  3. Cook in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until browned: 4 slices thick-cut bacon, cut crosswise into ¼-inch strips
  4. Transfer to a plate. Add as many pieces of chicken to the pot as will fit and cook until browned on both sides, about 7 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Brown the remaining pieces. Pour off all but 3 tablespoons of the fat from the pot. Add: 1 medium onion, chopped; 1 carrot, chopped
  5. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Stir in: 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  6. Reduce the heat to low. Cook, stirring constantly, until the flour just begins to turn light brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in: 3 cups dry red wine; 1 cup chicken stock or broth; 2 tablespoons tomato paste; 2 bay leaves; ½ teaspoon dried thyme; ½ teaspoon dried marjoram or oregano, crumbled
  7. Increase the heat to high and bring the sauce to a boil, stirring constantly. Return the bacon and chicken, with any accumulated juices, to the pot. Return the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat so that the liquid barely simmers, cover, and cook until the internal temperature of the breast pieces reaches 160°F, about 25 minutes. Transfer to a plate and simmer the thighs and drumsticks until they reach 175°F, about 10 minutes longer. Return the breasts to the pot when all of the pieces are done.
  8. Meanwhile, melt in a wide skillet over medium-high heat: 3 tablespoons butter
  9. Add, if desired: (1 ½ cups pearl onions, peeled)
  10. Cook, stirring often, until lightly browned and just tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Add: 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
  11. Cook, stirring, until the mushrooms release their juices. Take the skillet off the heat. Transfer the chicken to a platter and cover with foil. Discard the bay leaves. Bring the sauce to a boil over high heat and reduce until syrupy, using a spoon to skim off the fat as it accumulates. Add the mushrooms and onions, if using, with the pan juices to the sauce and heat through. Season to taste with: Salt and black pepper
  12. Pour the sauce over the chicken. If desired, garnish with: (Minced parsley)
• Chopped parsley
• Cooked egg noodles or toasted bread