Bacony Chicken and Rice Bake

4 slices of thin bacon, cut in half

1 cup of long grain, uncooked rice

4 chicken thighs

Couple pinches of Kosher salt, or to taste

8 turns of the pepper grinder

Couples shakes of paprika

Couple dashes of Cajun seasoning

1 can of cream of chicken soup

1 cup of water

Sprinkle of garlic salt

Pinch of nutmeg

1 teaspoon of oregano

Small palmful of dried parsley

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Cut 4 slices of bacon in half and layer them on the bottom of a 9 x 9 inch baking dish. Pour the rice on top. Add the chicken over the rice and season with the salt, pepper, paprika, and Cajun seasoning. In a separate bowl add the cream of chicken soup, water, garlic salt, nutmeg, oregano, and parsley and whisk together well. Pour over the chicken. Cover tightly with heavy duty foil, or add one layer of regular aluminum foil, seal tight and repeat with a second layer. Bake in the middle or upper part of your oven, at 300 degrees F for 2 hours - without peeking!

Cook's Notes: If you're thinking of this as a traditional chicken and rice dish with crispy skin, this is not that. This is a covered baked chicken. Okay to use lower fat cream soups, however, do not use a thick cut bacon. Use a regular thin sliced bacon for best results, however the bacon is primarily for flavor and generally will not be crisp. You may parcook it if you like. If you use the recipe as is in a 9 x 9, but only white meat chicken pieces, and especially boneless, skinless breasts, I would also suggest adding some chicken broth to make up for the fat loss/moisture from the dark meat.

How to Double: This is what I do. Use 6 or more slices of bacon in the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Sprinkle 1 cup (I do not double the rice) of long grain, raw rice on top of the bacon and add chicken on top of rice. Season as above. Mix 2 cans of cream of chicken soup, with 1 cup of water and remaining seasonings. Cover tightly with one layer of aluminum foil, repeat with a second layer. Bake at 300 degrees F for 2 hours.