Chicken Fricassée

4 Chicken Thighs
4 strips Bacon
2 Portabella Mushrooms, diced
1 Yellow Onion, diced
4 cloves Garlic, minced
1/3 cup All-Purpose Flour
1 teaspoon Ground Espolette
4 tablespoons Butter
1 cup White Wine
3 Bay Leaves
1 cup Heavy Cream
1 cup Chicken Stock
1 bunch Fresh Thyme
1 bunch Fresh Parsley, chopped
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Prepare Ingredients
Begin by chopping the bacon, portabella mushrooms, and yellow onion into a medium dice. Keep the ingredients separate.

Render Bacon
In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, add the chopped bacon and render it slowly. Once it starts to crisp, add the diced mushrooms and cook until browned.
Cook Onions
Next, add the diced onions to the pot and cook until they begin to color. Once cooked, remove everything except the rendered fat from the Dutch oven and set aside. Turn off the heat.
Prepare Flour Mixture
In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, ground espolette, salt, and ground black pepper.
Coat Chicken
Toss the chicken thighs in the flour mixture to lightly coat them.
Sear Chicken
Return the Dutch oven to heat. Once hot, add the floured chicken thighs skin-side down and sear both sides until golden brown.
Add Vegetables and Garlic
Add the butter, reserved bacon, and vegetables back into the pot, along with the minced garlic cloves.
Deglaze the Pan
Once the butter has melted, pour in the white wine to deglaze the pan. Allow the mixture to reduce until it is halved.
Simmer
After reducing, add the chicken stock and heavy cream. Bring the mixture to a simmer and add the bay leaves and fresh thyme. Maintain a gentle simmer for about 20 minutes.
Check for Tenderness
After 20 minutes, check the chicken for tenderness. If necessary, continue cooking for an additional 20 minutes, adding more chicken stock if the sauce becomes too thick.
Season and Serve
Once the chicken is tender, taste the sauce and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Garnish with chopped parsley before serving.