Easy Festive Chicken

An easy bacon-wrapped chicken that earns its “festive” name from the dramatic look on the platter (crispy mahogany bacon hugging glossy chicken) and the make-ahead convenience that makes it a holiday favorite. The marinade goes on overnight, so all you do on the day is bake. Soy, sugar, ginger, garlic, paprika, and hot sauce build a sweet-salty-spicy glaze that caramelizes as it bakes.

The slow oven temperature is the key. Standard bacon-wrapped recipes blast at high heat to crisp the bacon, but that overcooks the chicken into dry sawdust. The lower 325°F (160°C) bake renders the bacon fat slowly, basting the chicken from the outside while the meat stays juicy. By the end, you get fully crisped bacon and tender, gravy-coated chicken.

Pro Tips

• Use thin-sliced bacon, not thick-cut. Thin slices crisp in the time it takes the chicken to cook through.
• Marinate at least 4 hours, overnight if possible. The salt has time to penetrate and the flavors get into the meat.
• Baste with marinade only during the first 30 minutes. Marinade that’s touched raw chicken contains pathogens that need cooking time to kill.
• Pull at internal temp 165°F (75°C) in the thickest part of the chicken.

Variations

• Swap chicken breasts for chicken thighs for richer flavor and even more forgiving cook time.
• Add 2 tablespoons of maple syrup to the marinade for a glossier, sweeter glaze.
• Use prosciutto in place of bacon for a more Italian profile.