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with roasted red potatoes and sauteed green bean w/ bacon.

INGREDIENTS

4 lb whole chicken, halved, backbone removed
6 slices bacon
1/4 cup olive oil
1-1/2 cups dry white wine
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
3 TBSP chopped garlic
2 TSP finely chopped fresh rosemary

Preheat oven to 300°F. Place chicken halves skin side up in roasting pan or glass dish. Place 3 slices bacon on top each chicken half. Pour wine and vinegar over chicken. Sprinkle garlic and rosemary over. Drizzle chicken with olive oil. Cover and bake until chicken is cooked through, about 1 hour 45 minutes.

Remove chicken from oven, transfer chicken to baking sheet; cover with foil to keep warm.
Preheat broiler. Pour pan juices into a measuring cup or small bowl. Let sit for a few minutes until fat separates, spoon fat off. Pour pan juices into saucepan with chicken stock. Reduce liquid by at least half.

Meanwhile, remove bacon from chicken, broil chicken until and chicken is golden brown, about 6 minutes.
Remove chicken from oven, serve on plate with reduced sauce drizzled over top.
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For the wine pairing, there’s a few wines we experimented with. Because it’s chicken you might think of a wine like Chardonnay, which can work. But the balsamic sauce adds a little extra savoriness to the dish, which led me to a lighter red wine. Some Pinot Noirs and Merlots paired nicely. My favorite wine pairing is the Las Rocas Garnacha that sells for about $9 here in my local wine shop.

Las Rocas Garnacha is a deep ruby colored wine with a gorgeous nose with aromas of kirsch, raspberries and black licorice.  The wine is lighter so it doesn’t overpower the chicken.  I found it to be a fun pairing, especially because the rosemary and balsamic really plays off the wine flavors.  Try it out and have some fun with different pairings.  I’d love to hear what you think.