Home Cooking with Habs Tweetup: Better with Bacon

by Amy, HabsTweetup.com (AllHabs.net)

PHILADELPHIA, PA -- If you don't agree with the title of this week's column, you should probably just lay down your right to ever eat anything tasty again and run away. It's BACON people!!

Breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks...you name it, bacon makes everything better. Even you vegetarians have your own soy-based versions of crispy pork fat. Dessert? That's covered too. I recently got to sample maple ice cream topped with candied bacon pieces. That's right, candied bacon! Deeee-lish!

So it should come to no surprise that bacon can be used to make one of the most common dinner foods into something a little more spectacular. Chicken is a staple in kitchens everywhere and this week's recipe is sure to please.

Not only does this dish feature bacon (YUM!) but it also allows one of my favourite beverages to take center stage: cider! The recipe calls for regular apple cider, but you could use an alcoholic version too. These ingredients create a smoky, rustic flavour that pairs well with a side of rice and broccoli...and a freshly poured cider!

CHICKEN WITH CIDER AND BACON SAUCE
adapted from "Cooking Light" (Jan/Feb 2005)

4 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 bacon slices, chopped
1/4 cup onion, minced
3/4 cup unsweetened apple cider
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth

1. Using a meat mallet, pound the chicken breasts to 1/2-inch thickness after placing them in between two sheets of plastic wrap. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
2. Cook bacon in a nonstick skillet until crisp. Remove bacon, set aside. Add chicken to pan and cook in bacon drippings for 6 minutes per side. Remove chicken and set aside; keep warm.
3. Add onion to pan; cook until tender, stirring often. Add cider and chicken broth to pan and bring to a boil. Gently scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen browned bits of onion and bacon. Cook until liquid is reduced then stir in cooked bacon. Pour sauce over chicken breasts and serve immediately.


Do you have a favourite recipe that uses bacon? Whether it's traditional or something a tad unique, send it our way! Email your recipes to amy@allhabs.net and you could see your recipe featured here on HabsTweetup.com - Enjoy!


photo credit: http://miamidish.net/2008/07/08/miami-dish-loves-bacon/