Classic Red Wine Braised Chicken with Bacon and Mushrooms

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-25 · Updated 2026-04-25

Tender chicken thighs slowly braised in a rich red wine sauce with savory bacon, earthy mushrooms, and aromatic herbs, perfect for a comforting French dinner. This french ready in about 95 minutes pairs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, smoked bacon, cremini mushrooms for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 480 calories and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 8 pieces bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• 6 oz, diced smoked bacon
• 12 oz, quartered cremini mushrooms
• 12, peeled small yellow onions
• 4, minced garlic cloves
• 2 1/2 cups dry red wine (Burgundy preferred)
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 4 fresh thyme sprigs
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp, freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Step 1: Pat dry 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and season with 3/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, then brown chicken thighs skin-side down for 6 minutes until golden and crispy; flip and cook 4 more minutes. Remove chicken and set aside.
2. Step 2: In the same pot, add 6 oz diced smoked bacon and cook for 5 minutes until crispy and fat rendered. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon, leaving fat.
3. Step 3: Add 12 peeled small yellow onions and 12 oz quartered cremini mushrooms to the fat, cooking over medium heat for 8 minutes until mushrooms release moisture and onions soften, stirring occasionally.
4. Step 4: Stir in 4 minced garlic cloves and 2 tbsp tomato paste; cook 2 minutes until fragrant and paste darkens slightly.
5. Step 5: Sprinkle 2 tbsp all-purpose flour over vegetables and stir well to coat; cook 2 minutes to remove raw flour taste.
6. Step 6: Gradually pour in 2 1/2 cups dry red wine and 1 cup chicken broth while stirring to deglaze the pot and dissolve any browned bits.
7. Step 7: Return chicken and bacon to the pot, add 4 fresh thyme sprigs, 2 bay leaves, remaining 3/4 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, reduce heat to low, and braise for 45 minutes until chicken is tender.
8. Step 8: Remove chicken and vegetables with a slotted spoon; increase heat to medium-high and reduce sauce for 5-7 minutes until slightly thickened. Stir in 2 tbsp unsalted butter for gloss and richness.
9. Step 9: Return chicken and vegetables to the sauce to warm through for 2 minutes before serving.