This recipe from Style at Home magazine is absolutely delicious. The bacon, pearl onions, herbs and balsamic vinegar add terrific flavour, while the tomatoes and olives add colour. I used chicken thighs and drumsticks, instead of a whole chicken cut up, because we prefer dark meat.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Use bacon without nitrites, balsamic vinegar with only naturally occurring sulfites, and white wine with a sulfite level lower than 10 parts per million. I used all-natural garlic stuffed olives – either Pilaros brand or President’s Choice.

Brown the chicken well in a Dutch oven

Saute bacon and onions, return chicken to the pot and add the tomatoes and olives

I served the chicken with roasted potatoes

Ingredients:

1 3-lb (1.5 kg) whole free-range organic chicken, cut into 8 parts

1 tsp (5 ml) Maldon sea salt

½ tsp (2.5 ml) freshly ground black pepper

2 tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

1 4-oz (113 g) slab smoked bacon, cut into large cubes

1 cup (250 ml) pearl onions, peeled and halved

1 tbsp (30 ml) each: chopped fresh rosemary and thyme

2 tbsp (60 ml) aged balsamic vinegar

½ cup (125 ml) white wine

½ cup (125 ml) small green olives

½ pint (250 ml) grape tomatoes

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Season the chicken pieces all over with salt and pepper.

Heat the olive oil over high heat in a large cast-iron casserole pan or Dutch oven and sear the chicken pieces in two batches, turning occasionally, until well browned all over.

Remove the chicken from the pan. Turn the heat down to medium and add the bacon and pearl onions; cook until the onions are caramelized.

Drain all but 1 tablespoon of the oil from the pan and return the chicken pieces. Add the herbs, vinegar and wine and bring to a boil.

Add the olives and tomatoes and bake, covered, for 45 to 50 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Serves 4 to 6.

From Style at Home magazine