I Would Title This, But Jack and I Are Busy.

Bacon. The only thing wrong with bacon is that there isn't more of it, all the time.

I have a bacon problem. I add it to almost every recipe. Any time I think it needs a little more flavor, I'll just slap some bacon on it and call it dinner. Or lunch. Or breakfast. Turkey sandwich? Turkey bacon sandwich. Scrambled eggs? Scrambled bacon eggs. BLT? BBlt. Yeah. I said it. More bacon.

Last Wednesday's dinner was no exception. Using a recipe from The Pioneer Woman, I made Apricot Whiskey BBQ chicken. With bacon.

All bacon wants to do is make you happy.

If you like sweet/savory BBQ, this recipe is a winner. The chicken falls to pieces the moment you breathe on it, and it is like little bits of summer heaven.

Oh, and there's Jack Daniel's involved.

Jack Daniel's also wants to make you happy. And your neighbors. And your twitter feed. 

Make this and enjoy the last of the sweaty August heat. Share it with friends. Or don't share and have chicken for a week. I won't tell. It's that good.


Apricot Whiskey BBQ Chicken 

(Adapted slightly from The Pioneer Woman. This link will give you excellent pictures of the process and tasty tasty result.) 

• 12 whole bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs. (I'm assuming you can use chicken breasts for this as well, I just haven't tried it.)
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 1 Whole yellow onion, diced
• 6 Strips thick cut bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 1/2 Cups Whiskey
• 1 Bottle (About 12 ounces) of your favorite BBQ Sauce. Any kind will do. I used a smokey bourbon sauce and that worked very well. More booze!
• 1 Jar apricot preserves. (Original recipe calls for peach, but I think the apricot compliments the BBQ flavor in a smoother way. Either would work.)
• 1/2 Cup water
• 2 Tablespoons worcestershire sauce
• 3-4 garlic cloves, minced

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. 

Using a heavy pot (No plastic handles! This has to go in the oven later. I didn't have a pot that would work, so I used a roasting pan and it turned out just fine. Just make sure whatever you use is stove top and oven compatible.) heat the butter and oil over medium heat. Brown the chicken, both sides. You may or may not be able to fit all the chickens on at once. The original recipe suggests doing 4 at a time, and I second that suggestion. Move the chicken to a plate. 

Reserve about 1/4 of the grease, pour off the rest. Crisp the bacon, adding in the onions a couple minutes before the bacon is fully cooked. Slowly add in the whiskey. Stir and let simmer for a 2-3 minutes until slightly reduced. Add BBQ sauce, preserves, water, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic. Stir until well combined. Add chicken skin side up. Cover and put in oven for 1 1/2-2 hours. Make yourself a glass of whiskey and coke. Or just whiskey. 

Serve over potatoes or crisp veggies. Bury your face in it.