Chicken braised low and slow in red wine with bacon lardons, pearl onions, and mushrooms until the sauce turns deep and glossy - browning the bacon and chicken well before the wine goes in, and finishing the sauce with a butter-flour paste rather than cornstarch, are what give real coq au vin its rich, French-bistro depth.
1.Cook the bacon lardons in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp and the fat has rendered, then remove with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the fat in the pot.
2.Pat the chicken pieces completely dry, season with salt and pepper, and brown them in the bacon fat in batches until deeply golden on all sides - dry chicken and a hot pan are what actually give a good sear, since wet chicken just steams. Remove and set aside.
3.Add the pearl onions and mushrooms to the pot and sauté until golden, then stir in the garlic.
4.Return the chicken and bacon to the pot, pour in the brandy, and carefully ignite it with a long lighter to burn off the alcohol - this flambé step is what concentrates the brandy's flavor without leaving it raw and harsh.
5.Once the flames die down, pour in the red wine and chicken broth, add the bay leaf and thyme, and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook on low heat for 1 to 1.5 hours, until the chicken is falling-off-the-bone tender.
6.Mash the butter and flour together into a smooth paste (a beurre manié), then whisk it into the simmering sauce a little at a time until the sauce thickens and turns glossy - this classic French thickening method, not cornstarch, is what gives the sauce its silky body without dulling the wine flavor.
7.Discard the bay leaf, season to taste, and serve hot with crusty bread or over egg noodles.