The Global Kitchen: Coq Au Vin Blanc Meatballs

Coq au vin is a classic French dish made with chicken braised wine. In this recipe we use a dry white wine instead of red. This recipe is from the Half Baked Harvest Everyday cookbook by Tieghan Gerard. One thing I love about her cookbooks and recipes is she makes these recipes that look so fancy but are not super complicated.  Using meatballs was a creation of hers to make this dish easier and quicker to throw together. And let me just say it was delicious! One of my favorite things I have made. The sauce is delish. You better believe I saved every bit of it for the leftovers. 

One change I made was instead of using actual mushrooms I used mushroom Better than Boullion. As much as I want to cook with mushrooms, I am still hesitant. I have never liked the texture much. I will do it eventually. This way I still get the taste of mushrooms without the texture issues. Bacon is another thing added to this dish for some added flavor. And the flavor it amazing in my humble opinion. 

The Ingredients:

1 lb. ground chicken

1 large egg beaten

1/3 C of panko breadcrumbs (I used pork rind panko)

Fine Pink Himalayan Salt and fresh ground black pepper

1 TBSP extra virgin olive oil plus more for your hands

2 slices thick cut bacon chopped

3 C shiitake or cremini mushrooms sliced

2 TBSP salted butter

2 shallots chopped (I used ground shallot)

1 TBSP thyme (fresh or dried)

Crushed red pepper flakes

3 garlic cloves finely chopped or grated

1.5 C dry white wine (Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc)

3/4 C of milk, half and half, or heavy whipping cream

1 TBSP Dijon mustard

The Recipe:

In medium bowl, combine the chicken, egg, breadcrumbs, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Coat your hands with a bit of olive oil, then roll into 1-inch balls and place on a plate.

Place the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally until crispy and the fat has rendered, approximately 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a plate, reserving the fat in the skillet.

Add the meatballs to the same skillet over medium heat. Cook, turning a few times until browned and crisp, approximately 5 minutes. Transfer to the plate with the bacon.

Add the olive oil to the same skillet over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened. Add the butter, shallots, thyme, and a pinch of salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally until the mushrooms are golden brown and the shallots are softened. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Transfer the mushrooms to the plate with the bacon and meatballs. 

Pour the wine and 1/4 C of water into the skillet. Cook, scrapping up any browned bits from the bottom until reduced slightly approximately 10 minutes. Stir in the milk and Dijon mustard. Return the bacon, meatballs, and mushrooms to the skillet and simmer until the sauce is slightly thickened and everything is warmed through. 5-10 minutes. 

Transfer the meatballs to plates and spoon the sauce over them. 

You can garnish with fresh thyme and serve with mashed potatoes or a mushroom wild rice.