3971. BACON SMOKED CHICKEN

Serves: 4


6 chicken legs

¼ cup strained bacon grease

½ cup BBQ spice or Cajun spice blend

2 tablespoons salt

1 cup BBQ sauce of your choice

Heat your smoker to 200 degrees. You can use an indirect heating method if you are using a bbq grill. You will want you smoker/grill rolling with heat before you put the chicken inside.

Amply rub each chicken leg down with the bacon grease.

While rubbing, coat the chicken leg with the BBQ seasoning.

Lightly season with salt unless your BBQ seasoning already contains salt. In that case, omit the extra salt. If you are unsure, taste the BBQ seasoning before using it. If it tastes salty then you probably shouldn’t add extra.

Place the chicken in the smoker/grill.

Keep the temperature around 200 – 225 degrees.

Flip the legs after 2 hours.

Cook for another 2 hours.

Brush the BBQ sauce on each side of each leg and allow them to cook for another 30 minutes.

Pull the chicken legs from the grill and brace yourself for the awesomeness which is soon to ensue.

bacon recipe source: The Unmanly Chef (@theunmanlychef), September 4, 2014

3537. BACON-WRAPPED CHICKEN with TAMARIND SAUCE

makes four servings


8 bone-in, skin-on chicken legs
salt and pepper
1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground thyme
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
8 thin slices of bacon

Sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup of chicken stock
1 cup of tamarind pulp
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons of sugar

Place chicken legs in a dish and season with salt, pepper, cumin, thyme and onion powder. Place all the tamarind sauce in the blender and set aside. Preheat oven to 375°F. Wrap a bacon slice around each chicken leg. Arrange the chicken on baking pan. Drizzle the tamarind sauce over the legs and place in the fridge for about 30 minutes. Bake for about 45 minutes, until bacon is crisp and chicken cooked through.


bacon recipe source: Erica Dinho, My Colombian Recipes, January 24, 2013

3203. CHICKEN and DUMPLINGS with BACON and MUSHROOMS

makes six servings 


Chicken stew: 
6 ounces slab bacon, cut into 1/4" pieces 
1/4 cup all-purpose flour 
4 chicken legs (drumsticks with thighs; about 2 pounds) 
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper 
1 1/2 pounds mixed mushrooms 
1 medium onion, chopped 
6 garlic cloves, crushed 
1/4 cup dry white wine 
6 sprigs thyme 
2 bay leaves 
8 cups low-sodium chicken broth 

Dumplings and assembly: 
3/4 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more 
1 cup all-purpose flour 
2 teaspoons baking powder 
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 
2 large eggs 
1/4 cup whole milk 

For chicken stew: Crisp bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium heat; transfer to a paper towel–lined plate. Place flour in a shallow bowl. Season chicken with salt and pepper and dredge in flour. Working in batches, cook chicken, skin side down, in same pot over medium heat until deep golden brown and crisp (do not turn), 12–15 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Working in 2 batches, cook mushrooms in same pot, seasoning with salt and pepper and stirring occasionally, until brown, 5–8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Add onion and garlic to pot; cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft and translucent, 5–8 minutes. Add wine to pot; simmer until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add chicken, bacon, thyme, bay leaves, and broth; season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and gently simmer, partially covered, skimming occasionally, until chicken is falling off the bone, 2–2 1/2 hours. Add mushrooms and simmer until flavors meld, 10–15 minutes; season with salt and pepper. 

For dumplings and assembly: Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Whisk flour, baking powder, nutmeg, pepper, and 3/4 teaspoons salt in a medium bowl. Whisk in eggs and milk (batter will be slightly lumpy). Reduce heat until water is at a strong simmer. Drop teaspoonfuls of batter into water; cook until dumpling are cooked through and doubled in size, about 5 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon; add to stew just before serving.

bacon recipe courtesy of: The Bon Appétit Test Kitchen, Bon Appétit, February 2014

1552. FRENCH CABBAGE, DUCK GIZZARD and BACON SOUP

makes 6 to 8 servings


4 chicken legs, disjointed
2 medium onions, cut in half
2 celery ribs, cracked in half
2 turnips, peeled and cut in half
2 carrots, scraped and cut in half
4 peppercorns
Salt to taste
4 quarts water
1 pound white pea or navy beans, soaked in cold water overnight
1 small green cabbage (blemished leaves discarded), cut into quarters and cored
½ pound ventrèche bacon (or slab bacon, rind removed), coarsely chopped
1 garlic clove, smashed
2 pounds (about 4) red potatoes, peeled and quartered
2 pounds duck gizzard confit
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

To make the bouillon, combine all the ingredients in a large stock pot or Dutch oven, bring to a boil, and skim off the froth. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 2 hours. Remove the chicken from the bouillon and reserve for another use. Strain the bouillon into a large bowl, cover, and chill overnight.

To make the soup the next day, transfer the soaked beans to a large saucepan with enough fresh water to cover, bring to a simmer, cover, and cook 45 minutes. Reserve.

Plunge the cabbage into a large saucepan of salted boiling water, boil for 10 minutes, and drain. Pour the bouillon into a large pot, add the bacon and garlic, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer 20 minutes. Add the cabbage, potatoes, and carrots, increase the heat slightly, and cook till the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes. Add the reserved beans, gizzard confit, and salt and pepper and continue to simmer till the beans are meltingly tender, about 45 minutes.

Serve the soup very hot in heavy, shallow soup bowls.


bacon recipe courtesy of: The Bacon Cookbook: More than 150 Recipes from Around the World for Everyone's Favorite Food by James Villas. Wiley, 2007

1341. CLASSIC LOW-COUNTRY PULAO with CHICKEN and BACON

serves 6 to 8 as a main dish


3 cups long-grain rice
3 pounds chicken parts of breasts and legs from one 4 1/2- to 5-pound chicken, cut up
1 strip bacon, cut in half
about 1/4 lb. Canadian bacon, cut into 2 pieces
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 cups water
1 bay leaf
1 large sprig parsley
1 sprig thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Wash the rice thoroughly under cold running water until the water runs clear. Drain in a sieve and set aside.

Rinse the chicken, pat dry, and remove and discard the skin if you wish. Use a cleaver to separate the legs and thighs and chop each drumstick and thigh in half. Chop the whole breasts into quarters.

For the browning stage, it's easier to use two pans. We suggest that you use a large heavy skillet and the large heavy pot you will be using to cook the whole dish. Put both pans over medium heat and when they are hot, place half the bacon, including a little fat, if any, from the Canadian bacon, in each. When each pan is well greased with melted fat, add half the onion to each pan and fry for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the remaining Canadian bacon and the chicken pieces, dividing them between the two pans, and fry until the color of the chicken has changed, 8 to 10 minutes, turning the chicken and bacon as necessary.

Transfer the skillet contents to the large pot, then add the water, herbs, salt and pepper. Bring to a vigorous boil. Skim off and discard any foam. Sprinkle in the rice, bring back to a boil, and stir briefly. Cover, lower the heat to medium-low, and cook for 20 minutes.

Lift off the lid, wrap it in a tea towel or cotton cloth, and replace it. Remove from the heat. Let stand, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

Serve on a platter the traditional way, with the rice on the bottom and the chicken and bacon (cut into smaller pieces if you wish) on top. Discard the bay leaf and herb sprigs if you wish.


courtesy of: Seductions of Rice: A Cookbook by Jeffrey Alford & Naomi Duguid. New York: Artisan, 1998, pp. 398-399

1288. PAN-ROASTED CHICKEN, SQUASH and CHARD SALAD with BACON VINAIGRETTE

yields four servings


Chicken:
2 bone-in chicken breast halves
2 chicken leg quarters
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons canola oil

Salad:
1 2/3 cups sliced Fuji apple
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
8 ounces Swiss chard leaves, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon butter
4 1/4 cups (1/4-inch) cubed peeled butternut squash (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
3 tablespoons maple syrup

Vinaigrette:
2 bacon slices, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick pieces
8 ounces wild mushrooms, halved
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

Remaining ingredient:
3 tablespoons walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 400°.

To prepare chicken, loosen skin from breast halves and leg quarters by inserting fingers, gently pushing between skin and meat. Combine 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; rub salt mixture evenly under loosened skin. Heat oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, skin side down, to pan; cook 5 minutes or until brown. Bake at 400° for 28 minutes or until a thermometer registers 165°. Remove chicken from pan; let stand 10 minutes. Discard skin. Place a zip-top plastic bag inside a 2-cup glass measure. Pour drippings into bag; let stand 10 minutes (fat will rise to the top). Seal bag; carefully snip off 1 bottom corner of bag. Drain drippings into a bowl, stopping before fat layer reaches opening. Reserve drippings and 2 tablespoons fat; discard remaining fat.

To prepare salad, combine apple, juice, and chard in a large bowl; toss to coat. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add squash to pan; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Cook 10 minutes or until tender, turning to brown on all sides. Remove from heat; stir in maple syrup. Add squash mixture to apple mixture. Sprinkle salad with remaining 1/8 teaspoon black pepper; toss.

To prepare vinaigrette, heat reserved 2 tablespoons chicken fat in pan over medium heat. Add bacon to pan; cook 4 minutes or until crisp, stirring occasionally. Add mushrooms and garlic to bacon mixture; cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in cider vinegar, scraping pan to loosen browned bits; cook 1 minute or until liquid evaporates. Stir in reserved chicken drippings and broth; bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Arrange 2 cups apple mixture on each of 4 plates; drizzle each serving with 1/4 cup vinaigrette. Top each serving with 1 chicken breast half or 1 leg quarter, and sprinkle each serving with 2 1/4 teaspoons walnuts.


courtesy of: Eric Ripert, Cooking Light, October 2008

1018. CHICKEN with BACON, RATATOUILLE and BUTTERBEANS

serves 4


1 tablespoon vegetable oil
12 rashers dry-cured streaky bacon
4 large chicken legs
pinch cayenne pepper
1 x 400 grams tin butter beans
½ quantity ratatouille

Preheat the oven to 170°C, 160°C fan. Heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan. Fry the bacon in two batches for 1 minute on each side, then set aside on a plate. Season the chicken legs generously with salt and the cayenne pepper and fry in the bacon fat over a medium to high heat on the skin side only for 6-7 minutes until golden. Transfer to the plate with the bacon. Drain about two-thirds of the fat from the pan and add the butter beans and their liquid. Bhttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifoil, scraping off the residue from the bottom of the pan, until the liquid has reduced by half. Turn off the heat and transfer the butter beans and their liquid to a large ovenproof dish and mix in the ratatouille. Place the chicken and bacon on top and cover with foil. Place in the oven and braise for 20 minutes. Remove the foil, braise for a further 40 minutes and serve.


courtesy of: Neil Munro / Sainsbury's Supermarkets, Ltd.,
33 Holborn, London EC1N 2HT

39. BLUEGRASS BACON CHICKEN

serves four


3 slices bacon, diced
4 whole chicken legs, skinned and cleaned
1 cup seasoned flour
1 small onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 garlic clove, smashed and chopped
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 lb. mushroom caps, cleaned
5 tablespoons sour cream
1 teaspoon chopped fresh chives
juice 1/4 lemon
salt and pepper

Place bacon in frying pan and heat; cook 4-5 minutes over medium heat. Remove and set aside; leave fat in pan. Dredge chicken with flour and add legs to bacon fat. Cook 4 minutes each side over medium heat. Add onion and garlic to pan; mix well and season with paprika. Cover and cook 12 minutes over low heat. Add mushrooms and replace bacon in pan; cover and continue cooking 5-6 minutes over low heat depending on size of legs. Remove pan from heat and mix in lemon juice. Replace pan on stove top over very low heat. Add sour cream and chives; season generously. Mix until well blended.


courtesy of: Easy Cooking for Today: A Guide to Modern American Cooking by Chef Pol Martin. Montreal: Brimar Publishing Inc., 1986, p. 209. 8925 Saint-Laurent Boulevard, Montreal, CANADA H2N 1M5, 514-384-8660