Barbecued Bacon Wrapped Chicken Breasts

Note: This is not suitable for vegetarians, dieters, or wimpy eaters. 

For each portion:

1 chicken breast, at room temperature.

5 or 6 strips of bacon,

6 leaves fresh basil.

    (also consider rosemary, thyme or spearmint)

Directions:

Preheat the barbecue on medium high. Put a Pizza stone or other brick/stone cooking surface on the barbecue’s grilling surface to preheat with the barbecue.

Lightly pound out chicken breast until it’s a uniform thickness. Season lightly with pepper, no salt.

Cut a 14” square of aluminum foil. Lay the uncooked bacon on the foil to form a solid layer. Lay the chicken breast on top of the bacon, and lay the fresh herbs on top of the chicken.

Using the foil, wrap the bacon completely around the chicken. Roll up the edges of the foil (just to take up less space on the barbecue). Do not cover the bacon-wrapped chicken.

Drizzle olive oil on the baking stone, and place the foil with the bacon on the hot stone. Close the lid. Cook undisturbed for ten minutes or until you see bacon fat running off the foil and the backing stone. It will make your cooking fire happy.

Use the foil (and hot pads) to flip the meat over to cook directly on the stone.

Continue to cook, turning regularly but not frequently, until a meat thermometer reads 190⁰ in the center of the chicken breast.

Note: unless the stone is darkened from the smoke and juices of previous cooking adventures, the bacon will cook, but remain its bland, uncooked coloring. Be particularly careful that the bacon is indeed cooked.

Serve with a flavorful beer or ale. A Belgian Dubble or a Pale Ale would go well with this.