This isn’t your traditional stuffed mushrooms recipe – these mushrooms have all the great flavors of coq au vin in one tasty bite. It’s the perfect appetizer!
Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a shallow baking dish or rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray or line with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
Remove stems from mushrooms. Chop stems finely and reserve. Place mushroom caps in a baking dish.
In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crispy. Remove bacon from pan and place on a paper towel-lined plate. Leave bacon grease in pan.
Add onions and carrots to the skillet, turning heat down if needed to keep onions from burning. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until onions are translucent and carrots are softening. Add chopped mushroom stems, pepper, garlic, and finely diced chicken. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until mushrooms are cooked.
Add red wine and increase heat to medium-high. Continue to cook and stir until nearly all of the liquid is gone. Remove from heat and stir in thyme.
Pour mixture into a bowl to cool slightly. Add cheese and cooked bacon and stir to combine.
Using a spoon, fill mushroom caps with this mixture – it’s okay if they overflow a little. Place the filled mushrooms in prepared baking pan. Sprinkle panko bread crumbs evenly over mushrooms.
Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly before serving.
Notes
Mushrooms: If you are making appetizers, buy large white mushrooms. You'll need about 12 mushrooms for this recipe. For an entrée, use portobello mushrooms. You'll need 4 large mushrooms. Remove the stems and scrape out the gills before stuffing portobellos.
Chicken: Leftover cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken both work well. I like to make a big batch of Instant Pot shredded chicken and freeze it to use in recipe.
Make Ahead: Prepare the stuffed mushrooms and refrigerate them up to a day ahead. Add a few extra minutes to the baking time.