Roast Chicken with Bacon, Tomatoes, and Green Chiles

Sunday Dinner has become a thing in our house.  It's not really fancy, but the meals take a little longer to cook or they seem more involved.  Anytime you mention a whole chicken, I think of it as an all day task, even if it isn't. Anyway, D and I saw this recipe and decided to have it.

I would like to know where to buy a 3 pound whole chicken. The first Kroger didn't have any whole chickens, and the second one had a small one coming in at 6.5 pounds.  This is why we got more than 4 servings.  Also if anyone knows how to figure out Weight Watcher Points for a whole chicken, without having to weigh it before and post carcass, that would be nice.  (Read the points at the bottom carefully... I didn't include the chicken).

So the chicken... yum. It was a bit salty, so cut that back, but overall very tasty.

We had with rice. (pic below was with kale and butternut squash)

Roast Chicken with Bacon, Tomatoes, and Green Chiles

Photo by ALB

Servings 4 (or more)
Author Homesick Texan

Ingredients
1 tablespoon kosher salt (cut back to 1/2 TBSP_
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon New Mexican red chile powder (used regular)
1 (3- to 3 ½-pound) whole chicken (used a 6.5 pound chicken)
2 slices uncooked bacon
½ medium yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chiles and its juices (the fancy name of Rotel)
Cilantro, for garnishing
Cooked rice, for serving
Lime wedges, for serving

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Mix together the salt, pepper, oregano, cumin, and chile powder until well combined.

To butterfly the chicken, with kitchen shears or a sharp knife cut the backbone from the chicken (reserving it for another use, such as stock). Flatten the chicken at its breast bone and place on a plate. Season the chicken all over on both sides (getting under the skin on the breasts and thighs), then let it rest as you cook the bacon and aromatics. (If you’re organized, you can also season the chicken then refrigerate it uncovered for up to 24 hours.)

Take a large cast-iron skillet, and cook the bacon on medium heat, turning once, until just beginning to crisp and the fat has rendered, about 7-10 minutes. Remove the bacon from the skillet. Pour off 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat into a bowl, then refrigerate. (This is too cool it off a bit but you’ll soon be using it again.)

Leaving the rest of the bacon fat in the skillet, add the onions and while occasionally stirring cook until fragrant and tender, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 more seconds.

Turn off the heat. Chop the bacon, then stir it into the skillet along with the tomatoes and green chiles. Spread the reserved, refrigerated bacon fat on the chicken breasts under the skin, then place the butterflied chicken, breast side up, on top of the tomatoes.

Slide the skillet in the oven and cook uncovered until the skin is browned and the juices run clear, about 50 minutes, or when a thermometer inserted in the thigh reads 165° F.

Remove from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before serving. Cut the chicken into pieces then garnish with cilantro and serve with the tomato-bacon pan drippings, cooked rice, and lime wedges.

1 Smart Points (my additions/subtractions at 4 servings WITH NO CHICKEN)