My Favorite Chicken Ever!
Now that's saying something!
Have you noticed that many people seem to have strong feelings about chicken? It's an emotional thing. I'm actually not a huge fan of roasted chicken. While I love the crispy skin I just don't find it to be satisfying in that soul feeding, comforting kind of way. And there's nothing like a meal that hits the satisfaction spot… that leave you feeling both physically and emotionally fed.
Oftentimes we confuse fullness with satisfaction. They aren't really the same. Feeling full is a physically feeling. Satisfaction means you feel fully fed.
I'm here to tell you that healthy AND delicious food is not only possible but so doable and you don’t have to sacrifice satisfaction. It can take some time, experimentation and failures along the way, but I promise you it's not only possible but probable if you stick with it.
When we start to eat in a way that truly satiates ourself, in a way that not only satisfies and nourishes but provides sustained energy, things start to feel sustainable.
This recipe is one of the simplest, easiest and satisfying ways I prepare chicken and I want you to love it as much as I do. Seriously, with a few simple steps, you can set it, forget it and have the juiciest, fall off the bone goodness there is. Just know in advance one of the things that get’s sacrificed in this recipe is the skin… so be prepared, you will not have delicious, crispy chicken skin to fight over with your family but I promise you it’s worth it.
Ingredients
1 whole organic chicken
1 large organic yellow onion
1 tablespoon ghee
sea salt
Directions
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Peel and thinly slice the onion into whole or half moons. Place the sliced onion in a dutch oven or braiser, add ghee and place on the stove over medium to high heat. Add a generous pinch of sea salt. Sautee until translucent.
Meanwhile, remove the gizzards (if stuffed in the center of your chicken. You can rinse your chicken if you like. Dry the bird with paper towel. Place on top of the sauteed onions, with the breast side down. Generously season the chicken with sea salt on both sides and in the cavity. Cover tightly and place in the oven and bake for two and half to 3 hours. You’ll know it’s ready when you see it’s tender and falling off the bone.
Notes:
I’ve made this recipe with other herbs and spices and have found after experimentation, that I like it best as simple as I’ve outlined. It also will leave you with a neutral flavored chicken to use for leftovers like chicken salad or chicken tacos. That being said, follow your intuition and experiment. I will say, if you’re going to add in more spices, I recommend you add them when you’re sauteeing the onions to allow them to cook and release their oils and break down a bit. I find the flavors to be much more mellow and palatable this way.
Some additions you may want to consider to make this more of a one pot meal. Sweet potato, Yukon, or fingerling potatoes, turnips, parsnips and carrots for a complex carb. Celery is also a wonderful addition. I recommend you add these at about the half way mark.