chicken, bacon & cheese

various dates

A. bacon-wrapped chicken legs with chipotle mushroom sauce

2016-04-09

This is a revisit of a previous recipe, with some variations.

First of all, these are legs from factory-farm chickens. Each of them weighs well over 20 oz., quite a difference with those spindly rooster shanks. Secondly, instead of cream cheese, I used Swiss and pepper jack cheese. And last but not least, this dish is served with mushroom chipotle sauce, very different from those humble tomatoes.

Add some red wine or dark beer to this combination of bacon and mushrooms to get a sauce similar to Coq-au-vin or Grandmother's chicken.

INGREDIENTS

This is what you need for 2-4 servings:

2 large chicken legs
1 lb. bacon, sliced
Swiss and pepper jack cheese
S&P, paprika

Pic1: bacon-wrapped chicken leg, chipotle mushroom sauce

Directions

Pic2: add cheese, wrap in bacon
Pic3: bake
Pic4: serve

Preheat the oven to 225 ºF.
Wash and dry the chicken legs.
With your fingers, carefully loosen the skin around the thigh.
Insert some cheese. (Pic2, left)
Rub S&P, spices on both sides of the legs.
Wrap the chicken legs in bacon. (Pic2, right)
Arrange the legs in a shallow oven dish.
Bake at 225 ºF for at least 1 hr.
When the internal temperature measured at the thickest part of the thigh reaches 145 ºF, turn the heat off.
Leave for 15 more minutes. (Pic3)
Remove from the oven and let rest 10 minutes.
Serve and enjoy.
Serving suggestion:
- Serve with Chipotle Mushroom Sauce. (Pic4)

B. stuffed chicken with bacon and mushroom sauce

2017-07-02

Fifteen months later, I made almost the same thing. The bacon is layered on top instead of wrapped around the chicken. (Pic5) I sprinkled extra cheese all over and in between the chicken legs. (Pic6) and I poured some of that mushroom sauce in the dish, not 100% dry-cooked, but still mostly.

The result is extremely gooey- cheesy chicken legs with crisp bacon strips on top.

Pic5: bacon on top
Pic6: cheese all over
Pic7: mushroom sauce

Pic8: baked
Pic9: served
Pic10: and served again

C. Cheese on top

2019-07-21

Can you tell I like this combination?

This is almost the same thing again, this time with lots of paprika and grated cheese on top, but no mushroom sauce. Without the mushroom sauce, it presents differently with a dry cheesy crust.

When pan-fried, (Pic13) the paprika turns the drippings bright orange.

Pic11: bacon-wrapped, paprika, cheese on top
Pic12: served, dry melted cheese on top

Pic13: pan-fried, with paprika-laced sauce
Pic14: served

See also: Deming, NM gardens, animals and more and avemariasongs.org

See also: Deming, NM gardens, animals and more
and avemariasongs.org