Chicken Barley Casserole

This week's recipe is one I haven't made in a while but I'm hungry for it. I don't really remember where I found this recipe...somewhere online, but I just don't remember so I can't give proper credit.

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Ingredients
4 slices bacon, fat removed and meat finely chopped
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 carrots, diced
12 button mushrooms, quartered
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 cup barley
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 bay leaf, crushed
ground black pepper to taste
1 green bell pepper, chopped
4 dark meat chicken pieces (we prefer white meat, so I usually use breasts that are cut in half)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. In a large skillet, fry bacon until browned. Reserve bacon fat for sautéing chicken later. Add onions and carrots to skillet and sauté 2 minutes. Add mushrooms, stock, barley, thyme, marjoram, parsley, bay leaf and pepper to taste.
3. Mix all together and spread mixture in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Add green bell pepper on top and stir to settle.
4. Heat reserved bacon fat in skillet and brown chicken. Place browned chicken on top of barley mixture, cover baking dish and bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour and 10 minutes.