Ingredients

• Chicken

• 4 chicken breasts or 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs
• Sea salt & cracked black pepper, to taste
• 2 tbsp all purpose flour (plain)
• 2 tbsp olive oil

• Bacon & Vegetables

• 5oz – 140g streaky bacon or pancetta, diced
• 8oz – 250g mushrooms, quartered
• 1 bunch of whole baby carrots or 2 medium carrots, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 shallots, finely chopped

• Liquids

• 2 cups – 500ml dry full bodied red wine (Shiraz or Cab-Sav)
• 2 cups – 500ml chicken stock
• 1½ tbsp tomato paste

• Finishing

• Fresh parsley, chopped, to garnish

Steps

• Step 1

  Season chicken with salt and pepper, cut into 3 even slices, then coat in flour.

• Step 2

  In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, heat olive oil. Sear chicken on both sides until golden, about 3 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.

• Step 3

  In the same pan, add bacon and cook until lightly crisp. Add mushrooms, carrots, garlic, and onion. Cook 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

• Step 4

  Stir in tomato paste, then pour in wine, scraping up any browned bits. Simmer a few minutes to reduce by half.

• Step 5

  Add chicken stock, return chicken to the pan, and reduce heat to medium. Simmer uncovered for 12–15 minutes until chicken is cooked through and sauce has naturally thickened.

• Step 6

  Taste and adjust seasoning. Sprinkle with fresh parsley before serving.

• Step 7

  Serve straight from the pan with crusty bread, mashed potatoes, or buttered noodles to soak up the sauce.

Little Tips

Use a decent dry red wine, nothing too sweet and pour yourself a small glass while cooking for the real French experience.

Don’t overcrowd the pan when browning the chicken; colour means flavour, do it in 2 goes if you have to.

Let the sauce simmer uncovered so it naturally reduces and thickens without needing flour or cornflour.