Recipes- Grape Pickers' Skillet with Chicken for FOODball Brunch

Hungry Housewife Hubby Seth made this for brunch while we were watching football playoffs.  SO good and filling!  Can't wait to taste what's cooking for Superbowl!

Grape Pickers' Skillet with Chicken

10 ounces bacon strips
2 tablespoons fresh thyme -- minced
2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes -- peeled and thinly sliced
3/4 cup Gruyere cheese -- shaved and divided
salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups chicken -- cooked and shredded
1 cup leeks -- sliced
1 tablespoon garlic -- minced

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Line an 8-inch cast-iron skillet with bacon, covering the bottom and the sides and leaving a third of each strip hanging over the sides. Sprinkle thyme over bacon.
Layer half the potatoes onto bacon and thyme, covering the entire surface. Sprinkle 1/4 cup Gruyere over potatoes; season with salt and pepper. Repeat layering with chicken and 1/4 cup Gruyere. Continue layering with leeks, garlic, remaining potato slices, salt, pepper, and remaining Gruyere.

Fold hanging pieces of bacon strips to the center of skillet, covering entire top. Transfer skillet to stove top and cook over medium heat, 10 minutes.

Cover skillet with foil, transfer to oven, and roast 30 minutes. Remove foil and roast until bacon is crisp and potatoes are fork-tender, 30 minutes more. Let meal rest 10 minutes, then drain drippings and loosen edges to serve.  Add salt to taste.
(Note: Length of time - (1 hour in a cast iron skillet) - works perfectly)