Bacon-Wrapped Chicken with Date Sauce, Miso Collard Greens and Hokkaido Squash Purée

Bacon-Wrapped Chicken

Thin bacon protects the lean chicken while adding smoky salt and crisp edges. A brief sear followed by oven cooking browns the wrapping without drying out the center.

Ingredients

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 6–7 ounces each
• 12 slices thin-cut, gluten-free bacon with no added sugar
• 1 tablespoon ghee
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, reduced if the bacon is very salty
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Pat the chicken dry and gently pound only the thick ends so each breast is about 1 inch thick throughout.
2. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Wrap each breast crosswise with 3 slices of bacon, overlapping only slightly and tucking the ends underneath. Secure loose ends with toothpicks.
3. Heat the ghee in a large ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Place the chicken seam-side down and cook for 3–4 minutes, until the bacon begins to brown. Turn carefully and cook for another 3 minutes.
4. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast for 12–20 minutes, depending on thickness, until the thickest part of each breast reaches 165°F. Check early rather than relying on time alone.
5. If the chicken is nearly done but the bacon needs more color, briefly broil while watching closely. Rest for 5 minutes and remove all toothpicks before serving.

Notes

• Thin-cut bacon is important: thick-cut bacon may remain chewy by the time the chicken is cooked.

Creamy Date Sauce

Dates give the sauce body and mellow sweetness; broth and lemon keep it savory. Coconut milk produces the pale, spoonable finish without overwhelming the bacon.

Ingredients

• 3 large Medjool dates, pitted and chopped
• 3/4 cup unsalted, gluten-free chicken broth
• 1/2 cup unsweetened full-fat coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon gluten-free tamari
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
• to taste fine sea salt and black pepper

Instructions

1. Combine the dates and broth in a small saucepan. Cover and simmer gently for 8–10 minutes, until the dates are very soft.
2. Add the coconut milk and tamari, then blend until completely smooth, venting the blender lid safely if the mixture is hot.
3. Return to the saucepan and warm gently for 2 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.
4. Adjust with a little water or broth until the sauce pours easily from a spoon. Taste with a bite of bacon-wrapped chicken before adding more salt.

Notes

• If the sauce tastes too sweet, add lemon juice a little at a time and thin with unsalted broth rather than adding more tamari.

Caramelized Miso Collard Greens

A short covered braise tenderizes the collards, then an uncovered finish concentrates their flavor. Miso added near the end coats the leaves with savory sweetness without scorching.

Ingredients

• 2 large bunches collard greens, about 1 1/2 pounds
• 2 tablespoons avocado oil
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons gluten-free white miso
• 1/2 cup water, divided, plus more as needed
• 2 teaspoons unseasoned rice vinegar

Instructions

1. Strip the tough central stems from the collards. Wash the leaves, drain well, and cut into broad ribbons about 1 1/2 inches wide.
2. Heat the avocado oil in a wide, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1–2 minutes, until lightly golden. Transfer the garlic to a small plate, leaving the oil behind.
3. Add the collards in batches, turning until wilted. Add 1/3 cup water, cover, and cook over medium-low heat for 12–18 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender but not mushy. Add a splash of water if the pan dries out.
4. Uncover, raise the heat to medium-high, and let excess water evaporate. Cook for 4–6 minutes, turning occasionally, until some leaves have dark, browned edges.
5. Mix the miso with the remaining water. Lower the heat to medium-low, add the mixture, and toss for 1–2 minutes until it forms a glossy coating. Return the garlic and finish with rice vinegar.

Notes

• Avoid adding salt until after the miso; its saltiness varies substantially. If the glaze sticks, loosen it with a tablespoon of water.

Roasted Hokkaido Squash Purée

Roasting concentrates Hokkaido squash's chestnut-like sweetness and keeps the flesh from becoming watery. A little ghee and just enough broth produce a rich, rustic purée.

Ingredients

• 1 Hokkaido squash, also called red kuri, about 2 1/2–3 pounds
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons ghee
• 1/4–1/2 cup warm unsalted, gluten-free chicken broth
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
• to taste freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Halve the squash and scoop out the seeds. Rub the cut surfaces with olive oil and place cut-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
2. Roast for 40–50 minutes, until the flesh is completely tender when pierced and the cut edges have browned.
3. Scoop the warm flesh out of the skin and mash with the ghee, salt, and 1/4 cup warm broth. Add more broth only as needed to make a soft mound that holds its shape.
4. Leave slightly textured for a rustic purée. Season with pepper and additional salt to taste, then keep covered and warm.

Notes

• For a silky purée, use a food processor and add warm broth gradually; avoid thinning it into a sauce.

Overall Timing / Workflow

The squash gets a head start while the greens and sauce cook on the stovetop. The chicken finishes last so it stays juicy and the bacon retains its texture.

Instructions

1. 0:00 — Heat the oven to 400°F, prepare the squash, and start roasting it.
2. 0:10 — Wash and cut the collards, slice the garlic, and prepare the date sauce.
3. 0:20 — Start the collards. While they braise, wrap the chicken and finish blending the sauce.
4. 0:35 — Sear the chicken, then transfer it to the oven alongside the squash.
5. 0:45 — Check the squash and mash it when tender. Finish the collards uncovered and keep the date sauce warm over very low heat.
6. 0:55–1:05 — Check the chicken for 165°F, then rest it for 5 minutes. Adjust the sauce consistency and plate everything hot.

Plating

Keeping the three main elements distinct preserves their contrasting textures. A restrained pour of sauce connects the chicken and squash without softening all the bacon.

Instructions

1. Spoon a generous mound of squash purée onto each warm plate and place the collards beside it.
2. Set one bacon-wrapped chicken breast alongside the vegetables, with its best-browned surface facing up.
3. Spoon warm date sauce around the chicken and lightly over part of the chicken and squash. Leave some bacon uncovered and serve the remaining sauce at the table.

Leftover Path

Separate storage keeps the sauce from soaking the bacon and allows gentle reheating of each component.

Instructions

1. Refrigerate the chicken, sauce, greens, and squash in separate covered containers within 2 hours. Use within 3–4 days.
2. Reheat the chicken in a 325°F oven until it reaches 165°F in the center; loosely cover at first, then uncover briefly to restore some bacon texture.
3. Warm the squash and sauce separately over low heat, adding a splash of water or broth as needed. Reheat the collards in a covered skillet until hot.
4. For a different meal, slice the reheated chicken and serve over warm squash with chopped collards and a small spoonful of date sauce.