Funeral Chicken

Cheri Clotiaux Stringer (originally from God Save The Sweet Potato Queens)

Yield: 6-8 servings

It’s actually called “Death Chicken,” but I prefer “Funeral Chicken.” The idea here is that you only make the most comforting (read: fattening) dishes for the bereaved family. Since it takes 2 hours to cook — you put it in the oven, go to the funeral and graveside services, and then pick up your dish and go the family’s home with your ultimate comfort dish hot and ready to eat. Only Southern women would go to such pains to bring consolation to the bereaved! (Oct 2004)

3-4 chicken breasts (or 1 fryer cut up)

6-10 slices bacon

1 cup long grain rice, uncooked

Salt and pepper to taste

Paprika

1 (10.5oz) can condensed cream of chicken soup

1 cup water

1 tsp oregano

3 Tbsp dried parsley flakes

Pinch of ground nutmeg

Few shakes of garlic salt or powder 

Line bottom of 9x13-inch pan with bacon. Sprinkle 1 cup uncooked rice evenly over bacon. 

Place chicken pieces over rice and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Whisk together soup, water and spices. Pour evenly over chicken pieces.

Cover tightly with heavy foil (the author states emphatically that it’s really important to use “heavy duty” foil, so if I don’t have any, I use two layers of regular foil to be safe). Cook at 300˚F for 2 hours.