• 1 whole chicken, cut up
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 4-5 slices of bacon, chopped
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 4-6 garlic cloves, minced
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Pinch of crushed red pepper
• 1/4 cup Brandy
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 bottle red wine
• 4 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 4 bay leaves

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Salt and Pepper both sides of chicken pieces.
3. In an oven-safe pot, place chicken pieces and add olive oil and butter. Brown both sides over med-high heat. Once chicken has browned, remove pieces from the pot and set aside.
4. Still using med-high heat, add bacon to pot and cook for several minutes. Add the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, salt & pepper, pinch of crushed red pepper flakes. Sauté and stir for 5 minutes.
5. Deglaze** the pot with the brandy, stirring, and add the flour and mushrooms.
6. Nest the chicken pieces in the pot. Add the chicken stock, red wine and herbs. Cover and place in the oven for 1 1/2 hours at 350°F.
7. Serve over garlic mashed potatoes or rice.

** Deglazing is where you have food that has cooked onto the bottom of a pan that you wish to incorporate into (rather than discard from) the dish you're cooking. You pour the liquid of your choice into the pan and gently cook until the cooked-on food has been liberated from the pan bottom & has blended with the liquid.