Balsamic Chicken with Mushrooms and Peppers

My response to a challenge from Karen: Make dinner using only what you can find in the house, today, right now. I was allowed one lifeline item, and I chose mushrooms.

4 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp rosemary
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp each salt and pepper
2 tbsp olive oil

1 chopped red onion
2 chopped white onions
1/2 red pepper chopped
1/2 green onion, chopped
about two cups small whole mushrooms

3 slices bacon, diced

1 whole chicken, in pieces, skin-on and bone-in

1/2 cup red wine

butter and flour to make a roux

Ok, let's hit it. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Combine the balsamic, sugar, rosemary, salt and pepper, and olive oil. Put the vegetables+mushrooms into a large bowl, add about 2/3 of the balsamic mixture to this, toss it around to coat, and save the rest of the balsamic mix and keep it aside. Put the now-coated vegetables into a baking dish, and toss the diced bacon on top of that.

Pat dry the skin of the chicken, put the pieces on top of the vegetables (skin side up). Brush with the remaining 1/3 of the balsamic mixture. In the oven it goes for 30 minutes. Then out it comes, turn the oven down to 325 F. While waiting for the oven to cool a bit, add the red wine to the chicken and vegetables, then back into the oven for about 30 more minutes. Chicken should be 165 F internal temp, then it's done.

Remove the chicken to a separate platter, and cover with foil. Now remove the vegetables with a slotted spoon and keep those aside, covered also. In a sauce pan, melt some butter over medium heat, and stir a tablespoon or so of flour into it, so you have a thick but liquid mixture. Now add the cooking liquid you have from your baking dish, and stir with a whisk so you have your pan sauce.

We served the chicken and vegetables (and sauce) over hot buttered noodles, because, well, any excuse to eat hot buttered noodles is a good one.