Coq au Vin Blanc with Creamy Polenta

Prepare the Chicken and Bacon

1. Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and black pepper on both sides.
2. Heat the olive oil in a deep, heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the bacon lardons and cook until crispy and golden-brown. Transfer the lardons to a plate with a slotted spoon, leaving the rendered fat in the pan.
3. Turn the heat up to medium-high. Lay the chicken thighs skin-side down in the hot fat. Sear undisturbed for 6 to 8 minutes until the skin is exceptionally crisp and deep golden. Flip and brown the other side for 3 minutes, then transfer to the plate with the bacon.

Build the White Wine Sauce

1. Drop the heat back to medium. Add the pearl onions and chestnut mushrooms to the pan. Sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they start to pick up some color. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
2. Sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms and onions, stirring constantly for about 1 minute to coat them and cook out the raw flour flavor.
3. Pour in the white wine, scraping up all the golden caramelized bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Let the liquid simmer and reduce by half, about 3 to 4 minutes.
4. Pour in the chicken stock, then tuck in the thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Return the chicken thighs (skin-side up to keep them crisp) and lardons to the pan. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and gently simmer for 25 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and cooked through.

Whisk the Polenta

1. While the chicken is simmering, bring 600ml of salted water to a rolling boil in a separate saucepan.
2. Gradually whisk the polenta into the boiling water in a slow, steady stream to prevent any lumps.
3. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, for about 5 to 7 minutes until the polenta is thick and creamy.
4. Take the pan off the heat. Stir in the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and 30g of the butter until fully melted, smooth, and glossy. Adjust seasoning with salt to taste.

Plate and Serve

1. Remove the lid from the chicken. Discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Swirl the remaining 20g of butter into the sauce for a velvety finish.
2. Spoon a generous amount of hot, creamy polenta onto the center of each shallow bowl.
3. Place a crispy chicken thigh on top of the polenta, then spoon the rich white wine sauce, mushrooms, onions, and bacon lardons all around. Garnish with a sprinkle of fresh parsley and serve immediately.