Chicken with Dried Beef

OMG! How long has it been since you had this, or have you ever? This was such a popular dish in the 70's and 80's. I'm going to post this just as it appeared in Southern Living. Take note that this recipe was for 3 servings. Back then a whole chicken breast was a nice serving for 1 person. Now with all the growth hormones and such it's not uncommon to see a chicken breast weigh a pound or more. Just another reason to buy free range or visit a organic farm that raises chickens. You are what you eat.

Chicken with Dried Beef
3 servings, more like 6 servings

3 whole chicken breast
1 (8-ounce package or jar of dried beef, paper thin
6 strips bacon
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms
1 tablespoon butter
1 (10 2/4-ounce) can condensed cream of muhroom soup
2 tablespoons sherry (real sherry not cooking sherry)

Bone chicken breast, like that's going to happen, and cut in half; set aside. Arrange dried beef in shallow baking pan large enough to hold chicken in 1 layer. Wrap a strip of bacon around each breast half; arrange over beef.

Saute mushrooms in butter and spread over chicken. Combine soup and sherry, and mix until smooth; pour over chicken.

Cover baking pan with aluminum foil, and bake at 300 degrees F. for 2 hours. Uncover; increase heat to 350 degrees F. and bake an additional 20-30 minutes, basting several times.

NOTE: No seasoning is suggested; black pepper may be added, but do not add salt.