We have brined and marinated whole chickens, we have injected liquid into them, we have rubbed butter under the skins and then sometimes we just crossed my fingers and hoped for the best. We knew there had to be a better way. And there is using this clay roaster chicken recipe.
Baking a chicken in the oven or roasting the chicken in the oven can sometimes dry out a chicken but with a few tips, the right seasons and the perfect roaster, the chicken can be moist and delicious each and every time.
clay pot roasting chicken
I have made this tasty chicken dish several times following you yummy recipe! (I bought my clay pot in a thrift store for $5.00 ) last year and is the find of a lifetime!!!!!!Thank you for sharing this recipe and your many others.Yvonne
I've had a Römertopf clay roaster for years. It was a gift from my parents. I have to tell you, I've never had a bad chicken come out of that roaster EVER. The instructions that came with mine were to soak the lid for 20 minutes, this provides the steam which keeps your chicken so moist and juicy. The first time I used it, I was totally amazed at all the liquid in the bottom of the roaster which was immediately used for a beautiful gravy. You may want to remove the lid and brown your chicken before serving. I've also made beautiful pork roasts and I'm not a fan of pork but it was delicious. And as Evelyn mentioned, do NOT preheat your oven. Place the roaster into a cold oven and forget all the rules you've ever learned about, well, using your oven. Don't risk cracking your beautiful roaster, it's not worth it. I just ordered 2 roasters, one for my son and daughter-in-law and my sister. They deserve beautiful roasted meals too!
I received one as a gift in 1980 and still use mine. Last night we had a pot roast and tonight I will roast a whole chicken in it. It is a great investment since they last for many years. I still have my grandmothers cast iron pan and it's my favorite. I have a nice stainless steel set but prefer the cast iron.
Roast chicken is a family tradition at our house. You can expect to see it on the table for dinner on any given Sunday. This Roast Chicken in a Clay Pot with Roast Vegetables is a rustic dish that is simple, yet can be served when company is coming.
I decided to give my sheet pan a rest, and test out my Romertopf Clay Pot as a vessel to roast chicken in. And the results? Absolutely delicious tender chicken and vegetables that everyone loved! It made enough for us to enjoy for a few meals during the week.
I love that this is a super easy one-pot meal! That means less clean-up that has to be done, and less dishes to get messy. And if you have leftovers, you can keep them right in the clay pot to heat up the next night.
You may have read about the wonderful cooking attributes that a Römertopf or other similar clay baking dishes lend to the food that is prepared in them. If not you can read more about the history of clay bakers, why they work, how to use them in our guide: What is Clay Pot Cooking.
Before we jump into the recipe, it goes without saying that you'll need a clay pot such as a Römertopf or a EURITA CLAY ROASTER. You can purchase one online brand new, or check out second hand stores in your area. Sometimes you'll get lucky and find a used one cheap!
The secret to properly using a clay baker to roast your chicken is to make sure it has been soaked in water for about 15 minutes before cooking with it. This ensures the clay can absorb enough moisture to properly cook all the food we're going to place inside it.
- Next wash the chicken and remove any neck or giblets that may be inside the body cavity. (Set these aside, or freeze them for later use in chicken stock.) Pat the chicken dry, and brush it with a splash of oil. Season the chicken with salt, pepper, and paprika.
-Remove the clay baker from the water, and place the roughly chopped garlic and Spanish onion, and white wine in the bottom of the pot. Place the halved baby red potatoes, and thyme sprigs around the outer edges. You can also place the neck and giblets here if you wish.
- Place the clay baker cover on top of the clay baker base, and place the entire dish in the COLD oven on the middle rack. (If your oven heats with elements from above, place the clay baker closer to the bottom of the oven.)
-After 90 minutes, check on the chicken by opening the oven, and gently removing the clay lid with oven gloves. Place it on a dishtowel to prevent damaging the clay or your counter! Remember it is very hot!
Mix the reserved bell peppers and broccoli florets in a bowl and toss with a little oil. Carefully place the bell pepper slices and broccoli florets around the chicken, making sure it is evenly distributed. Return the clay baker to the oven without the lid, and roast for 10-15 minutes. This will help crisp the chicken skin, and lightly broil the peppers and broccoli.
Once the chicken has been cooked, you'll notice a bunch of liquid that seems to have appeared out of nowhere in the bottom of the pot! This is a natural pan jus that seeps from the chicken and vegetables as it cooks.
The clay pot should then be scrubbed with a stiff bristle brush and hot water to remove any baked on bits. Stains, are ok, but you want to avoid using soap if possible to prevent the porous clay from absorbing it.
Don't have a clay pot at home, or ordered one but it hasn't arrived yet? You can in theory still make this recipe at home! Simply follow any other roast chicken recipe for times and temperatures, and sub in the veggies listed above. Of course the chicken won't be as tender and juicy though!
Of all the other cooking pots and methods I have tried (and sous-vide is included), I have never failed to cook a chicken which is beautifully succulent and juicy on the inside, yet crispy skin on the outside. It really produces a melt in the mouth result.
When, in the early days of our relationship I first mentioned to Marlini that I was going to cook for her lemon chicken, she immediately thought of the battered Chinese lemon chicken style. Instead, I had to subject her to my version: Roast Clay-Pot Lemon Chicken with Garlic and Chilli. To date, we have this several times a year as not only is it quick and easy to prepare, but the leftover chicken works so well in a range of other dishes from sandwiches to ramen soup. The meat certain retains its flavour.
The importance of clay in human history cannot be overstated. A simple material made from earth and water, it gave us not only improved vessels and containers, but also the ability to easily make art in three dimensions. When it comes to cooking, the power of clay is impressive. It insulates, creating an oven inside an oven, stuffed with a slowly growing excess of heat. But that heat is tempered by a diffuse steam, seeping out of the porous material throughout the roasting, basting the chicken (or whatever you're cooking) to gift you with moist meat and tender vegetables.
It's worth scouring garage sales and thrift stores for clay baking vessels. For some reason, people dispose of them after a few years of use. Trust me, when you find one, hold onto it. You may not bake in it every week, but when you use it you'll be in awe of the results.
Loosen chicken skin by lightly inserting fingers under skin. Rub a small amount of butter/herb mixture lightly under loosened skin. Rub remaining butter mixture on outside of chicken. Season outside of chicken with salt and pepper.
Season chicken cavity with salt and pepper. Place as many vegetables as will fit, along with the 2 cracked garlic cloves in chicken cavity. Place remaining vegetables along with potatoes in bottom of baker.
Add clay pot lid on top and put baker in cold oven. Set oven temperature to 425F and cook for 1 - 2 hours (the first 20-30 minutes of your baking time will be the oven coming up to temperature). Remove lid of clay pot and turn heat up to 500. Remove chicken from the oven and drizzle extra olive oil over the skin while the oven reaches maximum temperature. Put chicken back in (still uncovered) and cook for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until skin is golden brown. Chicken is done when meat thermometer inserted in thigh area reads 165F.
Carefully remove the clay pot from the oven and place it on a hot plate or wooden cutting board. Do not place it on something like cold granite. As you can see, even though there was a lid, the skin was brown and crispy. You can also see all the juices in the clay pot that the chicken released.
You can purchase clay pots on amazon such as this one. They come in different sizes but the medium has worked great for my family. You might also find them in well-stocked kitchen stores.
Place the chicken in the bottom of the clay cooker, and rub down with the lemon, squeezing the juice all over as you go. Stuff the spent lemon halves in the cavity. Arrange the garlic all over and around the chicken. Sprinkle with a generous amount of salt and pepper. Stuff a few of the thyme sprigs in the cavity with the lemon, and place the remaining thyme sprigs on top. Cover, place in a COLD oven.
Set the oven temp to 475F, and cook for 50 minutes. After 50 minutes, carefully remove the lid as well as the thyme sitting on top of the chicken, and roast uncovered an additional 20-25 minutes or until done.
4.0 from 1 reviews Clay Pot Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic Save Print Prep time 15 mins Cook time 1 hour 15 mins Total time 1 hour 30 mins Roasted in a clay cooker, the chicken becomes infused with the flavors of garlic, lemon and thyme. Author: Anne Papina Recipe type: Main Cuisine: American Serves: 4-6 Ingredients 1 whole chicken (4-4 lbs) 1 lemon Salt & Pepper to taste 40 cloves garlic, whole, peeled Several sprigs of fresh thyme Instructions Soak top and bottom of a 3 quart clay cooker in water about 15 minutes; drain. Rinse and pat the chicken dry. Place the chicken in the clay cooker. Cut the lemon in half, then rub the chicken all over with the lemon, squeezing the juice out as you go. Place the spent lemon halves in the chicken cavity. Arrange garlic cloves on and around chicken. Sprinkle chicken/garlic with salt and pepper. Stuff two or three sprigs of thyme into the chicken cavity with the lemon. Place a few more sprigs on top of the chicken. Put the cover on the cooker and place in a cold oven. Set oven to 475F. Bake 50 minutes. Carefully remove cover as well as the thyme sitting on top of the chicken, and cook an additional 20-25 minutes or until chicken is tender and juices run clear when thigh is pierced. Serve with the roasted garlic and a loaf of french bread. Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe 3.2.1753 Note: I earn a modest commission for any purchases made through the Amazon.com links on this page. 2ff7e9595c
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