Cheesy Bacon Chicken Thighs with Braised Rutabaga (LCHF)

Name: Cheesy Bacon Chicken Thighs with Braised Rutabaga (LCHF)
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 8 free range chicken thighs (skinless & boneless); 16 slice pancetta or smoked streaky bacon; 250 grams Edam cheese; 1 tbsp olive oil or bacon fat; salt; black pepper; 1 medium rutabaga; 1 large onion; garlic powder; 1 1/2 pints chicken stock (use homemade or good quality bought in stock); 2 tbsp unsalted butter; salt; black pepper

Celeste @celeste_xtina_C00K5

Essex

I once tried to lose weight following the Hairy Bikers books, one of which featured a 'lite' version of one of my favourite recipes of theirs: Pan Haggerty. It is a yummy combination of potatoes, carrots, onion, bacon and cheese from the North East of England. I wasn't convinced.

Now, I'm losing weight by cutting back carbs and indulging in flavour (yes, fats!) and that is how this recipe came about. No carrots, or potatoes, just a more protein-packed way to get all the comfort and flavour of Pan Haggerty. This dish, with it's salty bacon and sweet root vegetables* would make an elegant dish for a low carber at Christmas, too.

*I have used the word 'rutabaga' as opposed to the English word 'swede' or the Scottish name 'neeps' because, frankly, I like it more and it makes the title of this recipe great to say out loud...try it!

Celeste @celeste_xtina_C00K5

Saved

Ingredients

4 servings

8free range chicken thighs (skinless & boneless)
16 slicepancetta or smoked streaky bacon
250 gramsEdam cheese
1 tbspolive oil or bacon fat
salt
black pepper
braised rutabaga
1 mediumrutabaga
1 largeonion
garlic powder
1 1/2 pintschicken stock (use homemade or good quality bought in stock)
2 tbspunsalted butter
salt
black pepper

Saved

Steps

1

Using a big sturdy knife, carefully half the rutabaga by stabbing the knife into it and putting your weight down on the knife (keeping your fingers well out of the way) then remove the skin by placing it cut side down and paring away small pieces of the hard skin away in a downward action following the shape of the vegetable, along with any slightly green/lighter coloured parts beneath the skin. You should be left with only the inner yellow/orange part.
2

Chop the rutabaga into bite size pieces.
3

Peel and roughly chop the onion.
4

In a large pot, add the rutabaga, onion, stock, garlic powder and butter.
5

Bring the pot to the boil, put on a lid and cook for 20 minutes.
6

Heat the oven to gas mark 6 (UK) / 200 C
7

Meanwhile, season both sides of the chicken thighs. Go easy with the salt, as the bacon could be salty!
8

Lay out a big piece of cling film and lay two pieces of bacon together for each chicken thigh. You may want to use the back of a heavy kife to stretch/flatten the bacon if it is thickly cut.
9

Place the chicken thighs onto the bacon, outer (smooth) side of the thighs facing downwards.
10

Place a piece of Edam cheese about the length and width of your thumb onto each chicken thigh, at the end nearest to you.
11

Roll up the whole thing using the cling film to guide you and holding onto the ends of the bacon so it doesn't get rolled inside.
12

Use two cocktail sticks per chicken thigh to secure the bacon in a criss cross.
13

In a skillet/ frying pan, heat the oil or bacon fat over a medium heat.
14

Brown the chicken thigh roll ups on all sides then place them in a roasting tin.
15

Bake for 30 minutes, maybe longer if the thighs are on the large side (don't worry if the cheese melts, as the crispy bits are delicious with the saucy sauce!)
16

Remove the lid from the rutabaga and turn the heat up a bit to let the stock reduce until it is almost gone (you will want some as it makes a sauce for the meal)
17

Take the chicken out and when you are certain it's cooked through, rest it for a few minutes.
18

Remove all the cocktail sticks.
19

Serve two chicken thighs per (hungry) person with some rutabaga and stock/sauce.