Chicken with Bacon & Cherries

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You may have resolved to bulk up on fruits and vegetables as your resolution for the new year, but now that a little time has past, bacon is beckoning.

Who can resist?

This is the year for bacon, and you'll find the indulgent ingredient in everything from gourmet chocolates to muffins and even seasonings.

Bacon has the unusual ability to complement sweets as well as it does savory foods.

Give in to temptation.

If you can't imagine bacon in a dessert, try the Mo's Milk Chocolate Bacon Bar from Vosges Haut-Chocolat. You'll taste how well salty and sweet go together. Stir well-browned crumbled bacon into your favorite apple or pear muffin recipe. Serve the muffins warm from the oven for a special treat. You can even try a little crumbled bacon in an apple pie, again served warm.

Check your local gourmet food store for bacon-flavored salt. The smoky bacon matched with salt goes well with meat, chicken or even popcorn.

But with all the exotic options to choose from, don't overlook bacon as an entree ingredient. A small amount adds an appealing smoky, salty flavor to foods.

The following recipe takes its cue from the current trend to salty-sweet pairings. Bacon, dried cherries and Port mingle in a robust sauce. I call for peppered bacon for an extra dimension of flavor. If you can't find the product in your supermarket, add one-fourth teaspoon coarse-ground pepper with the chicken broth.

Chicken with Bacon and Cherries

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 1 hour

2 strips center-cut peppered bacon

1 garlic clove, minced

1 shallot, finely chopped

2 small chicken breast halves

1/4 cup Port

1/4 cup dried cherries

2 teaspoons tomato paste

3/4 to 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

1 1/2 cups cooked rice

1 tablespoon minced Italian parsley

Arrange bacon in a large skillet. Cook over medium heat until crisp, about 2 or 3 minutes per side. Remove and drain on paper towels.

Add garlic and shallot to skillet and cook in bacon drippings until tender, about 2 or 3 minutes. Push vegetables to the side. Add chicken, skin-side down. Brown 5 minutes per side over medium heat. Remove chicken. Pour in Port and scrape up any browned bits. Add cherries, tomato paste and 3/4 cup chicken broth. Stir well. Cut bacon into bite-size pieces and add to skillet. Return chicken to skillet. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through, turning chicken over once. If the sauce is too thick, add remaining 1/4 cup broth.

To serve, spoon rice onto 2 plates. Top each serving with one chicken breast half and spoon on the cherry-bacon sauce. Sprinkle with parsley.

Each serving has: 600 calories; 22 grams total fat; 36 grams protein; 50 grams carbohydrates; 96 milligrams cholesterol; 240 milligrams sodium and 5 grams dietary fiber.

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Chicken with Bacon and Cherries Recipe - Bev Bennett Recipes

(c) 2010 Bev Bennett Recipes