Braised Chicken

Total Time: 1 hr 25 mins Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 4 ounces turkey bacon, slices cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-wide strips
• 3 1/2 lbs chicken breasts
• 1 lb shallot, thinly sliced
• 1 head garlic, cloves separated and peeled
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

Recipe

• 1 cook bacon in a deep 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately low heat, stirring, until crisp, about 8 minutes. transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain and reserve bacon fat in skillet.
• 2 while bacon is cooking, pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper. brown, beginning with skin sides down, in 2 batches in bacon fat over moderately high heat, turning, about 8 minutes. transfer chicken as browned with tongs to a plate and pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat from skillet.
• 3 add shallots to skillet and cook over moderately low heat, covered, stirring occasionally, until soft and pale golden, about 10 minutes.
• 4 remove lid and cook shallots, stirring, until deep golden, about 10 minutes more. add garlic and 1 cup water to skillet and boil, stirring, 1 minute.
• 5 return chicken to skillet, turning pieces to coat, then arrange them skin sides up and gently simmer, covered, until chicken is cooked through and garlic is tender, about 30 minutes.
• 6 transfer chicken with tongs to a serving dish. add vinegar to sauce and boil, uncovered, mashing garlic with back of a spoon, until slightly thickened. season sauce with salt and pepper and pour over chicken, then sprinkle with bacon.