Red Wine-Braised Chicken with Mushrooms and Pearl Onions

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-26 · Updated 2026-04-26

Tender chicken thighs slowly cooked in a rich red wine sauce with earthy mushrooms and sweet pearl onions, perfect for a comforting French-inspired meal. This French recipe, ready in about 80 minutes, pairs bone-in chicken thighs, olive oil, salt for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 450 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

• 6 pieces bone-in chicken thighs
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 4 oz bacon, chopped
• 20 small pearl onions, peeled
• 12 oz cremini mushrooms, halved
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups dry red wine
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 3 fresh thyme sprigs
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp all-purpose flour

The Dutch oven we’d braise this in → Best Dutch Ovens for 2026: Top Picks + Buying Guide

Instructions

1. Step 1: Pat dry 6 bone-in chicken thighs and season with 1 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper. Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat, then brown chicken thighs skin-side down for 5 minutes until golden and crispy, flip and cook 3 minutes more. Remove chicken and set aside.
2. Step 2: In the same skillet, add 4 oz chopped bacon and cook for 4 minutes until crisp and fat renders. Add 20 peeled pearl onions and 12 oz halved cremini mushrooms, sauté for 6 minutes until edges soften and brown.
3. Step 3: Stir in 4 minced garlic cloves and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Sprinkle 1 tbsp all-purpose flour over the vegetables and bacon, stirring constantly for 2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste.
4. Step 4: Pour in 2 cups dry red wine and 1 cup chicken broth, scraping up browned bits from the bottom. Add 3 sprigs fresh thyme and 2 bay leaves, then return chicken thighs to the pan skin-side up.
5. Step 5: Reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer gently for 40 minutes until chicken is tender and sauce thickens. Remove thyme sprigs and bay leaves.
6. Step 6: Stir in 2 tbsp butter for gloss and richness, adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot with crusty bread or buttered noodles.