Company Chicken

Sometimes, instead of searching through my recipe files and cookbooks (that tend to be, ahem, in disarray) for an old favorite recipe, I'll just do a search on my blog to find it. When I decided to make this recipe, that harkens back to the seventies, I did just that, and was shocked that it wasn't there. This is a recipe that everyone seems to have in one form or other, and it's a good one to have on hand. It is easy, versatile, forgiving, and there isn't a soul who doesn't like it. I've made it with cream of mushroom soup, cream of celery soup, and cream of chicken soup, and it has worked out every time. I toss in mushrooms if I have them, pearl or Cipollini onions, celery, carrots, anything that's handy and will make this a one-dish meal. For me there is a tiny bit of advanced prep because, in the same way that I brine pork before cooking it, I soak chicken in buttermilk overnight before using it. Try this, and you will never again have dry or stringy chicken, even if you make the mistake of overlooking it.

This retro recipe goes by many names, but in my family it has always been known as...

Company Chicken

4 skinless/boneless chicken breasts

4 thin slices of smoked bacon

1 2-ounce package Buddig® dried beef, thinly sliced

1/2 cup sour cream

1 can Low Salt Cream of Mushroom soup

1/2 cup dry white wine

Extras:

1 package of fresh mushrooms, quartered

1/2 cup diced celery

1/2 cup carrots, julienne-sliced

1 Tablespoon freshly chopped parsley

1 cup pearl onions

Preheat oven to 275ºF.

Rinse and dry chicken breasts and wrap bacon around each breast. Butter the bottom of a 9” x 9” glass baking dish and spread the sliced dried beef across the bottom. Place the bacon-wrapped chicken breasts on top of the beef. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the soup, sour cream, and wine. Stir in any of the extras that you care to use. Spread mixture over the top of the chicken. Bake uncovered at 275ºF for 1-1/2 hours and then cover and cook at 350ºF for an additional 1 hour.

This dish can also be made in a crockpot. Layer ingredients in the manner above in the crockpot and cook on low for 6 hours.