Directions

• Fill a medium pot with cold water and place pearl onions inside. Over high heat, bring water to a boil and cook onions for 2 minutes. Strain and place onions in an ice bath. Slice off the root end and squeeze to remove the skin. Set aside.
• Dice bacon slices into 1-inch pieces and place in a pot of cold water. Bring water to a boil and blanch bacon for 5 minutes. Drain the bacon and rinse under cold water. Pat dry and set aside. (Blanching the bacon is a necessary step because it removes a lot of the salt, trust me! Julia Child told me so! )
• In a shallow bowl combine flour, 1 tsp of herbes de Provence, tsp fresh ground pepper and tsp salt. Dredge chicken in flour mixture until the surface is completely coated. Set aside.
• In a large pot or Dutch oven, cook blanched bacon over medium heat, about 6 minutes. Remove bacon ensuring the fat remains in the pot.
• Add butter and olive oil to reserved bacon fat and over medium heat brown the prepared chicken thighs; about 3 to 5 minutes per side. Remove thighs and set aside.
• Stir in mushrooms, pearl onions, parsnips, and celery and cook over medium heat until they become tender; about 5 minutes. Add chopped garlic and saut for an additional minute.
• In the meantime, combine Chardonnay and chicken broth in a saucepan and warm over low heat.
• When vegetables are tender, return bacon and chicken to the pot. Add bay leaves, remaining herbes de Provence, and warmed wine mixture. Place the lid on the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Turn chicken and simmer for an additional 20 minutes.
• Bring liquid back to a boil until sauce thickens. Sprinkle with parsley and serve over a bed of wild rice, mashed potatoes, or egg noodles. Enjoy!