This dish can be fully prepared one to two days in advance and reheated on top of the stove or in a 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes before serving.

3 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 chicken (3 1/2 to 4 lbs.), cut into 8 serving pieces, rinsed & patted dry
1 onion, diced
3 tbsp. all-purpose flour
3 shallots, sliced
4 garlic cloves, sliced
2 c. full-bodied dry red wine, such as Pinot Noir, Cotes-du-Rhone or Zinfandel
1 1/2 c. beef stock, homemade or canned
1 tsp. tomato paste
1 tsp. Glace de Viande (optional)
Bouquet Garni
1/2 tsp. salt (1/4 tsp. if using canned stock)
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
20 pearl onions, peeled, root ends trimmed but left intact to hold the onions together
1/2 lb. smoked slab bacon, cut into 1/2 inch rectangles
1/2 lb. mushrooms, washed, dried & halved or quartered, to match size of the onions
5 sprigs parsley, chopped for garnish

1. In a large flameproof casserole, heat the oil over high heat. Add the chicken and brown well on one side, about 3 to 4 minutes; turn and partially brown the other side, about 1 minute.

2. Add the diced onion and reduce the heat slightly. Saute the onion until it begins to brown, 2 to 3 minutes.

3. Sprinkle the chicken with the flour. Shake the casserole and turn the chicken so the flour mixes with the hot oil. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the flour browns, about 3 minutes.

4. Add the shallots, garlic, wine, stock, tomato paste, glace de viande, and the bouquet garni. Stir well and season with the salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes. (The recipe can be prepared to this point several days in advance. Let cool to room temperature, cover, and refrigerate or freeze. Bring back to a simmer before continuing in step 9.

5. Drop the pearl onions into a large saucepan of boiling water and cook until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain.

6. Place the bacon in a medium-size saucepan, cover with cold water, and over medium-high heat, bring to a boil. Drain, rinse with cold water and repeat this blanching process to extract the bacon's excess saltiness.

7. In a 10- to 12-inch skillet, saute the bacon chunks over medium-high heat until crisp on the outside, yet still soft on the inside. Drain on paper towels.

8. Remove all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat from the pan, add the mushrooms and saute over high heat until browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and remove the mushrooms to a bowl. Add the pearl onions to the pan and brown, stirring, 2 to 3 minutes, then add to the mushrooms.

9. When the chicken is tender, remove it to an oven-proof serving dish or clean casserole. Discard the bouquet garni. Strain the sauce through a double-mesh sieve and remove any fat remaining on the surface. The sauce should be the consistency of heavy cream. If it is too thick, add a little water; if too thin, boil it to thicken.

10. Add the bacon, mushrooms and onions to the chicken, and pour the sauce over all evenly. Before serving, heat to a simmer and simmer for 5 minutes. This can be done on top of the stove or in the oven, depending on the serving dish used. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve.