White Wine Chicken Stew

• 4 slices bacon cut into 1/8” strips.
• 2-3 lbs. boneless skinless chicken thighs; cut in-half horizontally and trimmed.
• 4 carrots peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
• 1 onions diced
• 1 celery rib minced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme minced
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• 5 cups unsalted chicken broth divided
• 1 1/8 cup dry white wine divided into 1 cup and 1/8 cups
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into 1 tablespoons sections
• 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 lb. small new red potatoes washed & quartered

• Place oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• Cook bacon in a Dutch oven, over medium-low heat, until bacon browns then transfer bacon to a large bowl. Turn heat to medium-high.
• In small batches, and without crowding the pan, sear the chicken thighs in the bacon fat. If more fat is needed, add 2 tablespoons canola oil. Place seared chicken in the bowl with the bacon.
• Reduce heat to medium and place the carrots in the Dutch oven and cook carrots until softened. Add the diced onion and celery and cook until onion is translucent and celery has softened. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until it is fragrant and bloomed.
• Increase heat to medium-high. Add 1-cup wine, 1-cup broth and Worcestershire Sauce. Scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan and bring the mixture to a boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid reduces to ¼ cup and vegetables start to sizzle, 12-15 minutes.
• Add butter and stir to melt. Sprinkle the vegetables with flour and stir.
• Gradually add the remaining 4 cups of broth, thyme and smoked paprika then whisk until smooth.
• Add quartered potatoes; bring to a low boil.
• Turn off heat. Taste the stew and season with salt and pepper, if needed.
• Transfer stew to the oven. Cook, uncovered, for 30 minutes, stirring once halfway through cooking.
• Transfer pot to stovetop and scrape fond off sides of pot with wooden spoon into the stew. Stir well. Add chicken thighs and bacon.
• Return pot to oven and continue cooking, uncovered, 45 minutes or until chicken and vegetables are fork-tender. Stir occasionally.
• Before serving, add 2-4 tablespoons white wine. Garnish with chopped parsley.