Chicken with Maple and Smoked Bacon

We now have whole natural chickens.

Just the other night we had some friends over for dinner and I created a new recipe. My guests and husband really enjoyed it so I am sure your family and friends will too. Due to using a Marinade injector the chicken was nicely flavored as well as moist.


Ingredients
1 Hanova Hills whole natural chicken 
4 slices of Hanova Hills natural bacon

1/2 cup of pure maple syrup
1/2 cup of warm water
salt
black pepper
olive oil
corn starch


Tools that you may need
Marinade injector
Dutch oven
Frying pan
Small pot to use on top of stove to make gravy
Mixing bowls to
Whisk



Recipe (cook time is 1 1/2 hours total)

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees


2) Rinse off chicken and use paper towel to dry off


3) Rub olive oil, salt, and black pepper on the entire chicken


4) 3 shakes (or more) of salt and black pepper into the chicken cavity


5) Place you maple syrup and warm water in a bowl and stir until well combined. Set aside for later use.


6) Place chicken in the frying pan (my Dutch oven's lid served as the frying pan) and brown on all sides

7) Fill the Marinade injector with the maple syrup mixture (step5).

8) Using the injector inject the chicken several places until mixture if gone.

9) Place chicken in dutch oven and cook for 1 hour

10) After cooking for 1 hour open lid carefully. Place the bacon on top of the chicken so that the whole breast is covered. Continue to cook without the lid on for 1/2 hour more.

11) When the chicken is done place it on a serving dish and allow to rest while making your gravy

Recipe for Gravy
12) In a small mixing bowl take approximately 1/2 cup of cold water and 1/4 cup of corn starch and mix until there are no lumps--set aside this mixture

13) Take all drippings from your Dutch over and pour into a pot on the stove and allow to boil. Place your corn starch mixture slowly into the boiling pot  while whisking the drippings.

14) Continue to stir the boiling mixture until the liquid has a gravy constancy


Nice Sides
stuffing
boiled potatoes
salad
squash

Recipe contributed by Kelly Hamon