Cog au Vin Nouveau

I am of the opinion that anything related to French cooking has to be good as a matter of course. This stew, literally, "chicken cooked in wine" does not disappoint. No ma'am! The beauty about this recipe is that everything is cooked in the same pot, so the flavor is intense. Recipe compliments of Ronda S.

2 T olive oil
4 oz. lean, smoked ham, chopped
8 chicken thighs, skinned
½ t salt
½ pepper
½ c flour
1 med. onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
8 oz. crimini or white mushrooms, sliced (about 3 cups)
8 oz. shiitake mushrooms
1 cup fruity white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
1 (14 oz) can lower-sodium chicken broth
2 md. carrots, peeled and sliced ½” thick
2 celery stalks, sliced ½” thick
2 sprigs fresh thyme, or ½ t dried

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven. Add ham and sauté 5 minutes. Remove.

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper and dredge in flour. Cook chicken in same pan until brown. Remove.

Add onion, garlic and mushrooms; sauté 3 minutes. Add wine, chicken broth, carrots, celery, thyme and reserved chicken and ham. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer 25 minutes or until chicken is tender. Remove cover; cook about 10 minutes or until sauce thickens slightly.

Serves 4.