Chicken in Bondage

At least that's what Mr. B called it when he saw the strips of bacon draped over the supine form of the chicken I was about to put in the oven.

And in truth it's just a variation on my version of the James Beard recipe I've written about before. The bacon adds that touch of smokiness and helps bathe the skin and meat with its fatty goodness. Plus when the whole thing's done, the now-crispy bacon can be crumbled into the gravy made from the drippings or on top of a salad served alongside. And who'd object to that?

This time I also had a yam left over from Thanksgiving that needed to be used, so I chopped it up and mixed it with the sautéed vegetables in the bottom of the pan. By the time the chicken was done, the yam pieces were sweet and tender and, yes, bathed in that same lovely fat. Delicious!