Here's another variation on the bacon wrapped chicken theme. But I have to say, that the bacon-wrapped Chicken Rouladin looks amazing.
G.W."s Bacon Wrapped Chicken With Fettuccine and Mushroom Sauce
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Aromatics:
Coarsely chop one red onion, one carrot, and add 4 cloves fresh garlic together in a bowl. Add one quartered lemon, 2 sprigs of fresh thyme leaves with the stems, and fresh rosemary, again on the twigs. Add a splash of EVOO and mash everything together with your hands.
Dry the whole chicken, 2 to 3 lb. bird, inside and out with paper towels. Stuff the cavity with the aromatic mixture. Use cotton string to tie the chicken into the proper roasting shape by using a two foot length. Start at the bottom front, breast-side up. Place the string center at the bottom front (neck area) and draw the string under the wings. Wrap one and on-half times around the wing joint. Wrap the loose ends under the wing and over the breast to secure the wings to the body. Take the loose ends and wrap around the thigh/body joint one time complete and secure the legs to the body. Use the remaining ends to tie the skin and muscle flaps over the cavity to seal in the aromatics. Tie the string off in a bow and cut the extra string.
Take one raw bacon strip and starting again at the bottom front, press the strip from its center around the bottom of the chicken. Repeat the process with a second strip, only starting at the rear bottom. The bacon will stick to the chicken. Lay strips of bacon across the breast to cover from front to back. Place chicken into a roasting pan.
Spread 3 eight ounce packages of cremini (baby portabellas), or button mushrooms around the chicken. Drizzle EVOO over the mushrooms and lightly salt them. Place in the oven and cook until the breast meat reads 155 degrees on a meat thermometer, About 1 hr. and 15 minutes.
Fettuccine and Mushroom Sauce
During the last 20 minutes of cooking time, boil whole wheat fettuccine until al-dente (about 9 minutes). Remove from the pot, drain, and toss with a bit of extra-virgin olive oil and set it aside, covered to retain the moisture. Remove the chicken from the oven and put it on a platter. Melt 4 tbs. of real butter in a sauce pot and add an equal amount of flour to make a roux. Thin the roux with the chicken drippings. Finish the sauce by adding cream until it is the consistency you desire. Correct the seasoning to taste and add the mushrooms to the sauce. Serve mushroom sauce over the fettuccine and with a leafy salad, complete with perfect cherry tomatoes and a good dressing.
Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North