Rachel's Smoky Chicken and Cider

From Rachel Ray on food network

Ingredients
1/2 lb. chopped bacon
whole chicken cut up
salt and pepper
2 medium yellow onions
4 carrots sliced on an angle
2 bay leaves
2 tbs chopped fresh thyme
1/4 cup cider vinegar
2 cups cloudy apple cider
2-3 tbs AP flour
1 cup chicken stock
1/3 cup dark amber maple syrup
1 lb. Yukon gold potatoes
2 Golden delicious apples sliced with skin on

Directions
1. Cook bacon in light oiled skillet over medium high heat to done. Remove from skillet, leave drippings.
2. Salt and pepper chicken on one side, place in skillet season side down. Season top side of chicken. Cook to golden brown and crunchy.
3. Remove chicken from skillet to cool.
4. Add onions, carrots, thyme, bay leaves, salt and pepper to skillet. Cook to tender crisp.
5. Add 2 tbs. flour to veggies to help make sauce. Mix it in and let it cook.
6. Add cider vinegar (back off, or you'll clear your sinuses!)
7. Add apple cider, maple syrup and chicken stock. Bring to a bubble.
8. Cut up potatoes and apples and add to the stew mixture.
9. Add bacon to the top, and top off skillet with browned chicken.
10. Cover and cook until apples and potato are done and sauce begins to thicken, 15-25 minutes.
11. Remove from heat, place chicken on serving plate, remove bay leaves, spoon mixture all around chicken for good presentation.

You can make this in advance and save for a few days. When ready to eat, bring the skillet to a bubbling boil then serve.