I think it may have been a month since I posted my last recipe here. A month! *shivering with horror* I may not have cooked very much recently, due to our holiday travels . . . and the few times that I did cook, I failed to photograph! Ay, me. This is why it’s going to take me a little longer than usual to blog about an incredible Spicy Tuscan Soup, a creamalicious Chicken Artichoke Fettucinne, delectable Spicy Mulled Wine, and addictive Roasted Green Beans. They were all so good. But I can’t well write about them without photographs, so I’ll be making them all again one by one in order to bring them to you! Because I care. I care about your taste buds. I want them to feel loved, excited, cherished, and believe me–all of these dishes will romance the socks off them. Yes, food is part of a love story you have with your own tongue.

Does that sound creepy? Because I’m really not talking about French kissing with yourself. Like that’s even possible!

Or maybe we’re doing it all the time and just don’t notice it. Even creepier.

Okay, let’s turn off the creepy switch and turn on the Coq au Riesling switch. *click* There!

This is another Tasty Kitchen treasure with my adjustments (click here for original), and I loved every bite. Simple dishes are sometimes the absolute best, eh? (Note to Canadian friends: when I say ‘eh?’, do you relate to me better?)

Ingredients

1/2 lb thick cut bacon

1 medium onion

2 leeks

5 cloves garlic

5 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

3 bay leaves

10 sprigs of thyme (5 are for garnish)

1 bottle (750 ml) Riesling

10 oz sliced baby bella mushrooms

Salt and pepper, to taste

First, grab a trusty Dutch oven. Chop the bacon into small chunks, and fry them over medium high heat until they’re almost crispy, around 12 minutes.

In the meantime, chop up the onion and leeks and mince the garlic.

Toss the fibrous dark green part of the leeks–just use the white and light green parts. I stopped at the point where the leaves divide in the picture above.

When the bacon is starting to get crispy, add the onion, leeks and garlic, and cook for 5-6 minutes, until the vegetables are getting tender.

Trim the chicken thighs of fat and pat them dry with a paper towel. Really! This is important because removing the moisture will allow them to brown much better.

Salt and pepper them on both sides. Am I allowed to use ‘pepper’ as a verb?

I give myself permission by royal decree.

Add the thighs to the Dutch oven, moving the vegetables aside and on top of the chicken so that the thighs are touching as much of the bottom of the pot as possible.

Basically, scoop and pile.

There we go! Now brown them thoroughly, about 6 minutes on each side.

Time to add the mushrooms. I chose the prewashed, presliced bag. Do you still love me?

Stir them in evenly, and cook for another 3 minutes.

Now pour in that lovely bottle of wine . . .

Add the bay leaves and 5 sprigs of thyme. Some of the thyme I pulled off the little branches . . .

. . . but some I left on the sprigs. I was getting impatient. I mean, I wanted to give it a rustic feel.

Bring ‘er to a boil, then turn the heat down to low, cover, and cook for 40 minutes.

*insert imaginary picture of covered pot on the stove*

Alright! We’re almost there. Hang in there with me! Don’t abandon ship now! Uncover the pot . . .

. . . and simmer for another 15 minutes, shredding the chicken with two forks and adjusting seasoning to taste.

Serve over rice or noodles, with fresh thyme from the remaining 5 sprigs sprinkled on top.

That big, fat mushroom is calling my name.

Winter ain’t over yet, folks, and this is the kind of dish that will help you through. Warm your stomach. Give you strength to face the wind and the snow.

Unless you live in Australia. In which case, don’t even tell me how warm it is in Other Hemispheres.

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