Whole Chicken

Sorry for the absence, friends!  The past three months have been crazy busy – interviewing for Pediatrics residency, the holidays, and starting in the pediatric ICU.  I'm finally back to cooking, so here we go!

Throughout the fall, I was still getting my CSA share, with fresh veggies, eggs, chicken, and beef.  I got several whole chickens, which I had never really cooked before.  After trying different ways of cooking a whole bird, I found that braising it in the oven really worked well.  You can add in aromatics if you want to eat it as whole pieces with sides.  You can also just use oil, salt and pepper if you want to use it in a different recipe.  A 3lb bird ends up being about 1lb of meat.

Whole Chicken

Serves 4-6
Time: 90 minutes

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken, about 3lb
Oil of choice
Salt and pepper

Optional aromatics:
1 small onion, halved
Bundle of thyme, sage, and rosemary
Garlic cloves

Directions:

1.  Preheat the oven to 300ºF.  Cook in a dutch oven or similar with tight-fitting lid.

2.  Thoroughly wash and dry the bird.  Discard gizzards or remaining tail feathers.  Coat the bird in oil, then salt and pepper as desired.  If using, stuff the bird with the onion, garlic, and herbs.

3.  Place the bird in the dutch oven with breasts up.  You can tie the legs together if you'd like.  Add 3/4 cup water.  Cover, and place in the oven.  Allow to cook undisturbed for 90 minutes.  Internal temperature of the breast should be 165ºF.

Allow to rest for 5-10 minutes if serving whole pieces.  Discard onion, garlic, and herbs.

If using in another recipe, allow to rest until cool enough to handle.  Discard skin, and shred chicken using forks or fingers.