Chicken with Bacon, Mushrooms, and Onions

This recipe is from Real Simple magazine, and it is delicious. I love this dish; it smells wonderful when its simmering away. It is very comforting, flavorful and the sauce is excellent.

Today I cooked this on high, for three hours, because by the time I got around to it, I didn't have six hours to wait for it. I'm sure either way is fine, and it was delicious. The steps of frying the bacon and browning the chicken really are important, and add so much flavor. The little onions are so cute and yummy. I asked my neighbor to pick up the mushrooms, she came back with sliced ones instead of whole. I do prefer how the whole ones look, but it was still good.


Make this for dinner--you and your family will love it.

Slow-Cooker Recipe: Chicken with Bacon, Mushrooms, and Onions


This is the country version of the fussier coq au vin. Serve it with mashed potatoes. (tonight we served it with rice. you could also serve it with noodles, whatev.)


1/2 pound sliced bacon, diced
1 4- to 6-pound chicken, cut up
1/2 cup dry white wine (or 1/4 cup dry vermouth plus 1/4 cup water)
1/2 pound small white mushrooms
1 cup frozen small white onions, thawed
6 garlic cloves, chopped
3 sprigs fresh rosemary (or 1 tablespoon dried rosemary leaves)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons cornstarch

Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium-low heat until crisp. With a slotted spoon, transfer it to a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker. Pour off all but a light coating of fat from the skillet. Add the chicken and brown over medium-high heat; transfer to the cooker. Pour the wine into the skillet and scrape up any browned bits; add the skillet contents to the cooker, along with the mushrooms, onions, garlic, rosemary, and salt. Cover and cook on low heat for 6 hours, or on high for 3 hours. Transfer the chicken, bacon, and vegetables to a platter; keep warm. Pour the sauce into a small saucepan. Combine the water and cornstarch; stir it into the sauce. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Pour over the chicken.

Makes 6 servings

CALORIES 551 (50% from fat); FAT 30g (sat 9g); PROTEIN 56mg; CHOLESTEROL 212mg; CALCIUM 61mg; SODIUM 824mg; FIBER 1g; CARBOHYDRATE 8g; IRON 4mg

Real Simple, MARCH 2004