My take on Julia Child’s classic… try it…

• 2-3 pound whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces and skin removed
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1/3 cup bacon, cut into a small dice
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2 (10 oz) packs of cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, sliced thin
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• ¼ cup cognac
• 2 cups red wine (pinot noir, zinfandel- any light red wine)
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt
• ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped

Heat a large Dutch oven with one tablespoon extra virgin olive oil. Add the bacon bits and sauté on medium heat till the bits are golden brown. Take the bacon out and keep aside. Add the chicken pieces in two batches and brown on both side, sprinkling salt and pepper. Take the chicken pieces out and keep aside.
Reheat the pan and add one tablespoon extra virgin olive oil. Add the mushrooms and sauté on high heat till they are golden brown- about 7 to 8 minutes. Take the mushrooms out and keep aside. Add the onions and garlic. Saute on medium high heat till the onions are soft and translucent- about 3-4 minutes. Add the fresh thyme and tomato paste. Saute for a minute and add the cognac. Scrape all the bits off the bottom and mix for 30 seconds and add the red wine and the chicken broth. Bring to a boil on high heat and add the chicken pieces. Bring back to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer and cover with lid. Take out the two breast pieces after about 20 minutes and keep aside. Continue to cook the rest for another 30 minutes. Take out the chicken pieces with the breast pieces. Bring the sauce to a boil and reduce to about 2½ cups. In the meantime add the flour and oil to a small bowl. Mix well and add to the simmering sauce, whisking it in to avoid lumps. Bring to a boil. Taste for seasonings and add salt if needed. Add the mushrooms and chicken pieces. Top with the bacon bits and chopped parsley.
Serve on top of toasted baguette slices rubbed with fresh garlic. Serve with the same red wine you used for the sauce.