Coq Au Vin... (Chicken in Wine - French)

[The[cookie]Doctor]

Just wondering if anyone has any personal recipe they've ever used to make this??
Please share if you do!

The first time i made it from a Deborah Hay (i think) cookbook - and it was absolutely superb - but it was my ex-housemates and i can never find a recipe on the net that looks, 'quite right'.
The second time i found a recipe and my friend (who seems to be a natural genius in the kitchen - & male!) and i sort of threw in a bit of this, and a bit of that. I think i can pretty much get away with just chucking things in 'willy-nilly' - but do you have any ideas on how long you have to boil wine for, before the alcohol is boiled out of it?

Also what's a good herb replacement for Thyme - i don't have any and i can't be bothered making a trip to the supermarket just for it. Argh, i need spring onions too, maybe i better go!