Heat the oven to 325 degrees.

You will need a heavy-bottomed pot that can go into the oven for this dish.

Remove the backbone from the chicken and cut it into 10 pieces (the butcher can do this at the store if you are not comfortable doing it yourself). Place the chicken pieces in a bowl and season well with salt and pepper.

Place the pot on the stovetop over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. When the olive oil is hot, place the chicken pieces in the pot, skin side down, for 8-10 minutes until it is crispy and golden. Then, turn the chicken over and do the other side for 4-5 minutes. Remove from the pot and set aside on a plate. Continue browning the rest of the chicken until is it all done.

When all the chicken is removed from the pot, add the cipollini onions and cook for 5 minutes. Then, add the carrots, garlic, bay leaf, and thyme sprig, season with salt and pepper, and continue to cook for 5 minutes.

Add the red wine and using a wooden spoon deglaze the pot by scraping off the dark bits that have stuck to the bottom of the pot. Add the tomatoes and the chicken stock and stir. Add the chicken back into the pot and turn the heat up to high and bring to a boil. Once boiling, place a tight-fitting lid on the pot and place it in the oven for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and check for taste; it may need some more salt and pepper.

Note:

-It’s always best to season the chicken a few hours before cooking this dish.

-Make sure to not overcrowd the pot when browning the chicken.

-You may peel the cipollini onions but I find it annoying and it adds an extra step so I just let people remove the skin as they eat.

-You may save the chicken backbone for chicken stock and freeze it.