Brown a chicken all over in an oven-proof casserole and set to one side. In the same pan, fry smoked bacon lardons until the fat renders and set these aside, also.
Continuing in the same pan again, lightly brown small peeled shallots, then add scrubbed small whole carrots, 2 sticks of celery cut into 2-3 inch lengths, and scrubbed
small new potatoes. Add a glass of dry white vermouth and a similar amount of chicken stock, then stir in the bacon and some thyme leaves and sit the chicken on top.
Season well, then cover the chicken with a sheet of baking parchment, put the lid on the casserole and bake in a 170°C oven for 90 minutes, removing the lid and paper
for the last 20 minutes to crisp up the chicken skin. Take the chicken out and cover with a piece of foil to keep warm while you strain the juice from the vegetables.
Quickly boil down the juices to thicken slightly and serve this as a sauce with the chicken and vegetables.