The phrase ‘one-pan’ always gets everyone’s attention for good reason. The idea of easier quicker clean-up is music to our collective dinner-making ears!  

I present to you an entire chicken roasted in a saute pan with a fantastic combination of flavors that are guaranteed to impress. The result is a sophisticated and delicious meal that’s perfect for even the busiest of nights.

Grab a baguette, throw together a simple green salad while the chicken roasts, and give it a go. It’s really that simple!

Roasted Chicken with Bacon, Grapes and Herbs

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Separate the head of garlic into its individual cloves, peel and set aside.
3. Peel and finely chop the shallots and set aside with the garlic.
4. For the herbs, separate them into whole individual sprigs and set them aside with the other ingredients.
5. Stack the bacon and slice crosswise into ⅓ inch strips and set aside.
6. Wash and dry the grapes and separate the large bunch into small clusters. If some individual grapes fall off, that’s ok – use those too.
7. Heat a large oven-proof saute pan over medium-high heat. You will know the pan is hot enough if you sprinkle some water in the pan and the beads dance across the pan (if the water just simmers and bubbles, it’s not hot enough).
8. When the pan is hot enough, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter.  When the butter is melted, add the chicken pieces, skin side down, being careful not to over-crowd the pan.  (You will likely have to do this browning step in 2 batches.) Leave the chicken, undisturbed, for 5-6 minutes.
9. Next, check the chicken to see if it is caramelized and golden brown. If so, flip and repeat.  Then remove the chicken to a plate and continue with the second batch.
10. When all of the chicken has been browned, turn the heat OFF.
11. Add the bacon and the shallots and let them cook for a couple of minutes (again, with no heat).
12. Add the garlic cloves and grape clusters around the pan. Layer the herb sprigs all over the pan, and then add the chicken pieces on top and between grape clusters.
13. Drizzle everything with olive oil and then transfer to the oven for 30 minutes.
14. Remove from the oven, sprinkle generously with chopped parsley (optional) and let everything rest for 5-10 minutes.
15. Serve chicken in shallow bowls and top with lots of grapes, bacon, garlic cloves and juices – sop up with crusty bread and ENJOY!

Notes:

• • You can use any herb(s) that you like, but they should only be woody herbs or else they will burn. Woody herbs such as rosemary, thyme and sage are best.  You can use one or a combination of two or three.
  • Don’t have bacon, but have everything else? No problem, just proceed without it.  The resulting flavor is not exactly the same, but delicious all the same.
  • Can I use boneless, skinless chicken?  I mean, you can.  BUT…it really just is not as good. The fat of the skin and bones give so much flavor!
  • What to serve with it?  Honestly, just great bread and a simple green salad is all you need!
    
  • Hello, I’m Natalie!  I’m a professionally-trained chef, culinary instructor and recipe developer living in Ann Arbor.  A career change, a trip through culinary school 20 years ago, and being a lifelong Julia Child enthusiast has led me to a career doing my very favorite thing:  making food and cooking approachable to home cooks of all ages!   
    My passion for creating great food experiences and getting people excited about learning and having fun in the kitchen is always at the heart of what I do.  You can find me at NatalieMarbleCooks.com.  And on social media you can find me at @NatalieMarbleCooks.  Sign up for my bi-weekly email newsletter here, where I share family-friendly recipes, tips & tricks, new class information, and hopefully a little inspiration!