Best Chelseas Bacon Roast Chicken Recipes

THE ULTIMATE ROAST CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Rinse the chicken with cool water, inside and out. Pat it dry with paper towels. Divide the herbs, keeping 1/2 of them whole. Finely chop the other half. In a small bowl, mash the softened butter with the chopped herbs, until combined. Rub the herbed butter under the skin, as well as all over the outside of the chicken. Season the bird all over with salt and pepper. Stuff the cavity with the orange, garlic, 1 onion, and the remaining herbs. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine to help hold its shape. Place the chicken, breast-side up, in a roasting pan. Put the remaining onion into the pan, which will help color and flavor the sauce. Lay the strips of bacon across the breast of the chicken and roast for 25 minutes.
• Remove the bacon and baste the chicken with the drippings and cook for another 25 minutes to brown the skin. The chicken is done when an instant-read thermometer reads 165 degrees F when inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (the legs of the chicken should wiggle easily from the sockets too.) Remove the chicken to a platter and let stand for 10 minutes, so the juices settle back into the meat before carving.
• Meanwhile, remove the softened onion from the roasting pan. Tilt the pan so the drippings collect in 1 corner, skimming off as much fat as possible, and leaving the drippings. Place the roasting pan on top of the stove over medium heat and take a wooden spoon to scrape up the flavor from the bottom of the pan. Stir the flour into the drippings to make a roux-like paste. Pour in the chicken broth in stages; continue to stir to dissolve the flour evenly to prevent lumps. Stir in the sherry and season with salt and pepper.
• To serve, carve the chicken tableside and squeeze the oranges from the cavity over the meat.
• Difficulty: Easy
• Serving suggestion: roast potatoes, watercress and gravy.

BACON ROASTED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Rub butter over the entire chicken. Season with salt, pepper and thyme. Place the carrots inside the cavity, and tie the legs together. Place the chicken breast side up in a roasting pan. Lay bacon strips across the top of the chicken, and secure with toothpicks. Sprinkle with paprika. Pour the beef broth into the roasting pan - do not pour over the bacon.
• Roast for 15 minutes in the preheated oven, the reduce the heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Baste with some of the broth. Continue to roast for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the internal temperature is 180 degrees F (82 degrees C) when taken in the thickest part of the thigh. Baste every 15 minutes with the broth.
• Remove the bacon and discard toothpicks. Roast the chicken for 15 more minutes to brown the skin. Transfer to a serving platter, and remove the ties. You may eat the bacon, but it is best to discard the carrots.

WHOLE ROASTED CHICKEN WITH BACON

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Prepare the chicken: Season the outside of the chicken with salt and pepper. Fill the cavity with the thyme sprigs and lemon wedges. Turn the chicken so the cavity is facing you. Put one end of a bacon slice squarely over the left thigh, run it over the breast meat and finish by covering the right thigh. Repeat with 9 more strips of bacon, slightly overlapping, so the thighs and all of the breast meat are covered. Then wrap one strip, slightly overlapping, around each drumstick.
• Cook the chicken: Transfer the chicken to a shallow baking pan or rimmed baking sheet fitted with a roasting rack and put it in the center of the oven. Roast for 20 minutes and then lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Cook until the juices run clear or the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F, 40 to 50 minutes. Remove the chicken from the oven and allow it to rest for 15 minutes before carving. The bacon should form a hard shell over the breast meat. Take care to use a sharp knife when carving so the bacon stays on top of the white meat.
• Finish the dish: Make a sauce by pouring the juices from inside the cavity (along with the thyme and lemon wedges) into the baking pan. Put the pan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Whisk in the mustard, add 2 tablespoons water and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes to allow the sauce to come together. Strain, pressing down on the lemon wedges to extract all the juice, and season with salt and pepper. Discard the lemon wedges and thyme sprigs and taste for seasoning. Serve immediately.