Slow-Braised Garlic Chicken 30 July 2009

Was difficult to get the bacon to stay on the chicken, but the flavors together were amazing.  From Recipezaar.

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 4 oz. chestnut mushrooms, finely chopped
• 1 Tbsp. thyme, freshly chopped
• 6 chicken legs
• 18 slices streaky bacon
• 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 1 oz. butter
• 18 shallots, peeled
• 12 garlic cloves, unpeeled but split
• 3 cups white wine
• 2 bay leaves
• salt & pepper

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a frying pan and fry the mushrooms and the thyme until all the excess moisture has evaporated and the mixture is quite dry.  Leave to cool.
3. Loosen the skin away from one chicken leg and spoon a little of the mushroom paste underneath.
4. Season the leg all over with salt & pepper, then wrap three bacon slices around the thigh end.  Repeat with remaining chicken legs, then dust using 1 Tbsp. flour.
5. Melt the butter with the remaining 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a frying pan.  Keeping the heat high, fry the chicken legs, in batches of two, seam side down, until golden.
6. Turn the legs, brown the other side, then transfer to a deep, ovenproof, lidded pot.  The browning process should take a good 8-10 min. per batch.
7. next, brown the shallots and garlic in the same frying pan.  Sprinkle over the remaining flour and cook for 1 minute.
8. Pour in the wine.  Bring to a boil, stirring, and add to the chicken with the bay leaves.
9. Cover and cook in the oven for 1 ½ hours.