A festive French dish that sounds sophisticated and complicated. It’s actually very easy and straight forward. All it requires is a bit of time.

Preparation time: 1 hour and 30 minutes

What you need:

2 tablespoons oil

4 chicken legs (or 6 drum sticks)

Salt & pepper

1 tablespoon paprika powder

4-5 large carrots, peeled and sliced into 1-inch (2cm) pieces

1 large onion, sliced

5 garlic gloves, chopped

5 tablespoons (1/4 cup) cognac or brandy (optional)

½ bottle (375 ml) good red dry wine (not the most expensive, but not the cheapest either)

1 cup (250 ml) chicken stock

10-12 fresh thyme sprigs

1-2 tablespoon flour

½ pound ( 220g) frozen pearl onions (these are hard to find in the US; you can substitute with small pickled onions/cocktail onions in a jar)

½ pound (220g) white mushrooms or small Portobello (stems removed and quartered)

How to do it:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C.)

Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt, pepper and some paprika on both sides.

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or any large pot with a tight lid.

Brown the chicken legs in batches in a single layer for about 5 minutes, turning to brown evenly. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside on a plate.

Add the carrots, sliced onions, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon pepper and paprika to the pan and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are golden.

Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the Cognac and put chicken, and any juices that collected on the plate into the pot.

Add the wine, chicken stock, and thyme and bring to a simmer. Cover the pot with a tight- fitting lid and place in the oven for 40-50 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and almost falls off the bone. You can also keep the pot on the stove and let it cook there for the same amount of time. I have done it both ways – and there’s hardly any difference.

Mash 1 tablespoon of flour with 2-3 tablespoons of water and make a smooth paste. If you cooked the chicken in the oven take it out and put on the stove. Stir in the flour-water mix and let it boil just once. This will help to thicken the sauce.

Add the frozen or picked pearl onions and the mushrooms and cook over medium-low heat for 5-6 minutes.  Taste it and add salt and pepper until you like it.

Serve with rice or fresh French bread.

Bon appétit!

If you wonder how much alcohol is left in the final dish, it’s about 25 percent after 1 hour of cooking.