Best Valentine Day Chicken Recipe | Roasted & Romantic

“The way to a person’s heart is through their stomach,” a saying that’s remarkably true – don’t you think? This recipe is exactly that. Imagine your kitchen filled with the warmth and aroma of love as your tender and juicy chicken, seasoned to perfection with a skin crisped to a lovely golden brown, making your beloved’s mouth water at first sight. 

As soon as you take a bite of this savory delight, you’re tasting the rich meat, infused with the hints of the earthy mushrooms, smoky bacon, and garlic. The smoky depth of the bacon and the mellow mushrooms give a butterfly undertone with every fork – reminding you exactly of the saying, that love does go through your stomach.

This recipe is quick and easy to make, so you don’t need any special cooking skills and can instead enjoy that special Valentine’s Day Dinner on February 14th.

How to Make Valentine’s Day Roasted Chicken with Mushrooms and Bacon

Here are the ingredients on how to make this romantic dinner:

• 2-3 lbs Chicken legs or thighs 
• 6-8 Bacon strips
• 2 cups Fresh mushrooms (button or cremini), sliced
• 4 Garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp Fresh thyme
• 1/2 cup Chicken bone broth or vegetable broth
• 2 tbsp Olive oil 
• 2 tbsp Butter
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup White wine for deglazing
• Optional: 2 cups Sun-dried tomatoes
• Optional: 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Alternative Ingredients:

• Chicken – Turkey breast, cornish hens, boneless skinless chicken breasts
• Bacon – Pancetta, turkey bacon, or smoked tempeh (vegetarian)
• Mushrooms – Portobello, shiitake, wild mushroom mix 
• Garlic – Shallots, garlic powder
• Thyme – Rosemary, sage, fresh basil, red pepper flakes, or a blend of Italian herbs 
• Olive Oil – Avocado oil or melted butter for basting.
• Butter – Ghee or a vegan butter substitute.
• Salt and Pepper – Herbes de Provence, kosher salt, poultry seasoning mix
• White Wine (for deglazing): Chicken broth, vegetable broth, or non-alcoholic wine.
• Parmesan cheese – Mozzarella cheese, goat cheese

 

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: First, preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C), before starting to handle the chicken – now would also be a good time to put the wine for your romantic dinner in the fridge if you haven’t already.

Step 2: Take your chicken and rub olive oil and seasoning on top of the breast, thighs, or legs – to make it easier, you can use a ziplock bag and throw it inside with the olive oil, seasonings, salt, and pepper before you generously massage it from the outside (or inside) – this method will ensure a more uniform marination – once done, place it aside for about 5-10 minutes, so it has time to marinate.

Step 3: Meanwhile, use a large oven-safe skillet and cook the bacon over medium-high heat until it’s crispy before you place it on a paper towel to soak as much fat as possible from it. 

Step 4: Use the same skillet and add some butter to sauteé the mushrooms until they’re golden, then add minced garlic and cook it for an additional minute until it becomes fragrant. 

Step 5: Once the bacon has cooled off a little crumbly or chop it up before you’re mixing it with mushrooms and adding fresh thyme to it – set aside as well.

Step 6 Glazing: Deglaze the hot skillet with your wine by adding your white wine to it as it’s still hot over medium heat, it will sizzle a bit – now, use a wooden spoon to gently scrape off anything from the pan. Let the wine simmer and concentrate while it’s mixing with whatever was left in the pan, you will notice it becoming thicker and more flavorful, too. When ready, move the chicken, mushrooms and bacon back to the skillet (if you’re adding some sundried tomatoes, this would be the step). 

Step 7: Pour the bone or vegetable broth above the chicken before it mixes with the wine glazing, then continue to pour more of it on the chicken. 

Step 8: Roast in the preheated oven for about 35-45 minutes, or until your chicken is fully cooked (internal temperature should read 165°F or 75°C) and the skin is crispy.

Tip: Consider pouring more of the pan white glaze mix above the chicken every once in a while to keep the chicken moist and flavorful (like you’d do to a turkey).Step 9: When done, take it out of the oven and let it rest at room temperature for a bit (around 5-10 minutes) before serving!

Expert Tips

• Either use unseasoned chicken bone broth or make your own vegetable broth from your scraps, which will not only add nutritional value, but also keep the chicken moist as it roasts – perfect for a fancy dinner.
• For the glazing, use a dry white wine, such as: Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio (Pinot Gris), Chardonnay, Dry Vermouth.
• If you have enough time, make a brine consisting of water, salt, some sugar, your seasonings, and some bone or vegetable broth and let your chicken legs sit in it for a few hours in the fridge before cooking – this will give it extra flavor and keep it moist. 
• If you want to prepare a sauce for this delicious dish, you can either opt into a bolognese sauce (with that a delicious wild mushroom ragu would be amazing too!), marinara sauce, creamy mushroom sauce, or cream cheese sauce. Simply prepare it in a separate small saucepan before you pour it over the chicken right before roasting it.

What to Serve with Roasted Chicken for Valentine’s Dinner

Here are some suggestions to make your romantic dinner guaranteed to impress!

Appetizers

• Creamy tomato soup
• Caprese salad
• Bruschetta

Side Dishes

• Garlic mashed potatoes
• Roasted asparagus or green beans
• Sautéed spinach or kale 
• Creamy polenta

Dessert

• Chocolate fondue with fresh fruit
• Tiramisu
• Panna Cotta

Drinks

• Red wine – Pinot Noir, Merlot
• White wine – Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc
• Champagne or Prosecco
• Classic Negroni – a great Valentine’s Day Cocktail!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here you’ll find some common questions for this delicious chicken dinner – if you have more, feel free to comment below!

How Do You Make Roasted Chicken with Mushroom and Bacon?

To make this delicious meal of roasted chicken over a bed of mushrooms and bacon, season your chicken legs or boneless skinless chicken thighs with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Meanwhile, fry the bacon until crisp and sauté the mushrooms in the same pan before deglazing with white wine. Pour the entire mixture over the chicken and bake it all together in the oven.

What is the Best Wine to Use for Deglazing in Roasted Chicken Recipes?

Generally, when you want to deglaze chicken, you want to pick a dry white wine like Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay as they compliment the savory flavors of meats like chicken and bacon.

Can This Dish Be Prepared in Advance?

You may make this recipe somewhat ahead of time by cooking the bacon and mushrooms while the chicken marinated in the brine, then roasting it all together in the oven when you’re ready to cook it.

How Should Leftovers Be Stored?

To keep leftovers fresh for as long as possible, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, when you’re ready to eat it again, just reheat it in the oven or microwave.

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