Sweet & Spicy Chicken

 

This is a recipe I had bookmarked over on Sandra's page a long time ago.   She called it Sweet and Spicy Bacon Chicken.   I just call it Sweet and Spicy Chicken, and after finally making it today, I call it delicious.
It's the type of recipe I love to use during the week when I am rather rushed for time, because it's quick and it's easy . . .



You simply cut chicken breasts into strips, roll them in a spicy mixture, wrap them in bacon, pop them into a pan and here is where I made some changes.  Sandra rolled hers in brown sugar, but I choose to sprinkle mine with a mixture of oregano and brown sugar . . . oregano and chili go well together.

 

I then chose to sprinkle some brown sugar over top and then drizzle them with maple syrup.  It's the Canuck in me I'm afraid . . .   In Canada we can buy maple smoked bacon and today the Canadian in me was longing for maple smoked bacon and so I drizzled the maple syrup over top  . . .

 

Brown sugar . . . Maple Syrup.  Brown Sugar . . . Maple Syrup.   The Maple Syrup adds a lovely dimension of flavours and it is just about sugar season back home when the woods are filled with maple taps and the air is filled with the smell of the sap of the maples being boiled down into syrup.

 

Yes, you can take the girl out of Canada . . . but you can't quite take all of the Canadian out of the girl.  So anyways, here is my take on Sandra's recipe.   Sweet and Spicy Chicken.



Tis good . . . very, very good. I dipped mine in Barbeque Sauce . . .  Jack Daniels Barbeque sauce . . . coz bacon and sugar and maple syrup is not enough calories to add to low fat chicken . . . you just have to throw a few more in there don't cha!  And that's how I roll.  (You should know that by now!)

 

*Sweet & Spicy Chicken*
Makes 4 servings
Printable Recipe

A delicious recipe I adapted from one I found on  fullbellies.blogspot.com.   Take care not to over cook the chicken.  Delicious.

4 free range chicken breasts
12 slices of smoked rind-less streaky bacon
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp mild chili powder
1 tsp oregano
4 TBS soft light brown sugar
125ml of pure maple syrup (1/2 cup)

Barbeque sauce for dipping

Preheat the oven to 200*C.400*F/ gas mark 6.   Butter a large baking dish well.  Set aside.

Cut your chicken breasts lengthwise into thirds, giving you 12 pieces in all, chicken tender sized.   (Alternately you could use 12 chicken tenders).   Mix together the salt, black pepper, garlic powder and chili powder.   Sprinkle this mixture over all of your chicken pieces, coating them well.   Using one slice of streaky bacon for each piece, wrap it around the chicken, making sure that the beginning and ending of the wrap are on the same side.  Place into the baking dish with the ends of the bacon side down.  Sprinkle them with the oregano and brown sugar.   Drizzle the maple syrup over top.

Bake in the heated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the bacon has begun to glaze and become crisp.   Serve hot with some barbeque sauce for dipping if desired.   I am awfully fond of the Jack Daniels Barbeque Sauce.   Just sayin' is all.

  

I served these with some new potatoes that I had sliced in half lengthwise and then roasted with butter and garlic seasoning and some steamed carrots.  It made for a fine meal.