Chicken in Tomato-Red Wine Sauce

A crowd-pleasing recipe.

Chicken in Tomato-Red Wine Sauce

3 lbs of chicken parts, skinned (bone-in preferable)

2 onions chopped

2 ripe tomatoes, pulsed in food processor

3 garlic cloves minced (or more)

5 sprigs of thyme (remove leaves and discard stems)

3 cups of red wine (use wine that you would not mind drinking – I prefer a syrah or petite sirah for this recipe)

1 cup chicken stock

1 bay leaf

Olive oil

Unsalted Butter

Flour

Salt

Pepper

Place 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter in pot large enough to accommodate all ingredients and turn stove to medium-high. As butter and oil are heating, salt and pepper chicken pieces. When butter foam has subsided, add chicken and sear about 5 minutes per side (adjust heat, if needed). Take chicken out and set aside. Add onions to pot and sauté until translucent. Add wine and scrape up any browned bits with a wooden utensil. Add chicken stock, tomatoes, garlic, thyme, and bay leaf. Stir to mix. Add chicken back into the pot, making sure the liquid covers the meat. Add more wine or stock, if needed. Bring the liquid to a boil. Cover the pot and turn the heat to low. Simmer for 45 minutes – 1 hour (chicken should be tender and almost falling off the bone). Turn the chicken over about halfway through. While chicken is simmering, place 2 tablespoon butter and 2 tablespoons flour in a bowl and let butter soften. Once butter is softened, mix into a paste. When chicken is done remove it from the liquid and set aside. Remove bay leaf and discard. Raise the heat to medium high and boil liquid for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Using an emulsion blender (boat motor), blend the liquid, onions and herbs until smooth. Reduce heat to low and add butter-flour paste. Let paste melt to thicken sauce and then add chicken back to the pot. Add salt and pepper as desired.

Serve over egg noodles or rice or serve with a salad and a loaf of crusty bread.