So, I LOVE roast chicken, with the crispy skin, but often it's a bit chewy and anyway, a whole chicken? Not only do I live by myself but it's too damn heavy to handle! And roasted vegetables, well they take a lot of chewing. This recipe gives you the taste (or near as damn it) without the excessive energy required to eat it.
So, I've noticed that supermarkets sell parts of chicken with skin on, including chicken breasts, and I've adapted what I used to do with an whole chicken, to use ready portioned chicken. Suitable portions would be legs, thighs, drumsticks or chicken breast. Skin on or skin off, your choice!
Apologies, I forgot to take a picture yesterday when it was all nice & warm, so this is after I've already had half of it and it's been in the fridge overnight!
As you can see in the picture, I have an enamel roaster dish, it has dimples in the top which does something smart with condensation (maybe bastes the meat?) but most importantly it's easy to clean AND very very light. So I can handle it when it's got food in it. This one fits 2 large legs in with a bit of space.
What is it? Pot roasted chicken cooked on a bed of bite size root vegetables in stock. Because you cook it slowly, the meat falls off the bone and melts in your mouth, but the vegetables keep their shape and texture without being mushy, but easier to eat.
Time required? I don't have a slow cooker, so for 2 chicken legs, I'd cook it for about 2 hours in a very low oven (about 170 degrees). You turn the meat half way through. But the actual preparation time is about 15 - 30 mins (depending on whether the person who's prepping the veg knows how to use a peeler or not).
Cooking skill required? The ability to peel & chop root vegetables, and open a packet of meat.
Eating ability required? Because it's cooked for so long, the meat melts in your mouth with the vegetables retaining their texture. So easy to medium. (If you have meat with bones in, then you need a bit of dexterity but not much as they fall off the meat very easily).
POT ROAST CHICKEN WITH ROOT VEGETABLES
Portions - I get 4 small meals out of the amount cooked - 2 chicken legs, one large potato, 4 carrots, an onion.
INGREDIENTS
You can use whatever you have on hand of these:
Meat - enough for the number of meals you want to do - You can use any fresh meat, chicken, turkey, pork, lamb, beef. I like meat that has skin that can go crispy....
Root Vegetables - always onion, potato & carrot. Also good are leeks, squash, red or green or yellow peppers, swede or turnip, parsnips etc. The supermarkets have ready prepped vegetables either fresh or frozen, good idea if you're short of time or energy, just leave them to defrost first.
Stock - I use Marigold Bouillon (one teaspoon) but any stock cube that is for the meat you are using.
Lemon - half a fresh lemon cut into pieces OR preserved lemon from a jar OR lemon juice from a bottle (one teaspoon minimum, more to taste). You can freeze fresh lemons, chop them into chunks, put them in a baggie, freeze them, defrost before cooking. Also very nice in a gin & tonic, saves space in the freezer, no ice cubes needed! Also nice in a cup of hot water as an alternative to tea.
Mixed herbs - whatever you've got in the cupboard that goes with the meat.
Actual Ingredients used for the dish in the picture:
2 fresh chicken legs with skin on
one onion (chopped into bite size pieces)
one large potato (chopped into bite size pieces)
4-5 carrots (bit old and rather wrinkly but taste lovely - chopped into bite size pieces)
Half a Lemon - preserved lemon cos I'd bought a jar and wanted to try them, and forgot I had some frozen chunks in the freezer.
Mixed Herbs - just a mix I got from the supermarket.
Stock - a teaspoon of bouillon powder, but a chicken stock cube would work!
Optional Extras: I also added 2x toothbrushes worth of Garlic Paste, and some little preserved red peppers from a jar (I bought them to stuff with cream cheese but haven't got around to that. They're a bit spicey but not too much).
PREPARATION
1. Preheat your oven to 170 degrees (or if you're using a slow cooker, do what you're supposed to do. I've not got one so no idea).
2. Prepare the root vegetables - onion, potato, carrots etc - wash & peel & chop into bite size chunks. Put them into the bottom of the COLD pan. The pan MUST be able to go into the oven including lid so make sure it won't be damaged! If the lid can't, try using an enamel plate as a lid instead.
3. Prepare the lemon - wash & chop into chunks that are big enough so you WON'T eat them by accident once it's cooked! Add these to the cold pan.
4. Add the herbs & optional extras like garlic paste or other vegetables etc. to the pan.
5. Crumble the stock cube DIRECTLY onto the vegetables in the pan. Boil the kettle and add enough HOT water to just cover the vegetables. Not so they float, and not so that the meat will be submerged... Stir so the crumbled stock cube is evenly distributed.
6. Place the meat on top of the vegetables SKIN SIDE DOWN. This makes sure the juices stay in the meat (the skin keeps them in) whilst it cooks and also the skin doesn't get too dry. It doesn't matter if the liquid goes a little way up the side of the meat, but you don't want the meat covered by it.
7. Put the lid on the pan, and put it in the oven. Set the timer for ONE HOUR.
8. When the timer goes off an hour later, take the pan out of the oven and TURN THE MEAT over so it's SKIN SIDE UP! Put the lid back on and put back into the oven. Set the timer for 45 MINUTES.
9. When the timer goes off 45 minutes later, check the chicken is cooked by poking it with a skewer or sharp knife then pressing the flesh - if the juices run clear, it's cooked. By this stage the skin will be all nice and crispy and when you press the flesh, it'll probably fall off the bone. If it doesn't set the timer for another 15 to 30 MINUTES and put it back in with the lid on.
10. If at any stage the liquid gets a bit low, ie less than half way up the vegetables, add more HOT water.
11. When you're happy the meat is falling off the bone, take out of the oven and leave to rest for 10 minutes. Serve a portion of meat with the vegetables & liquid.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
- By itself
- With bread & butter
- With some green veg like chopped spinach or cabbage or peas or beans.
- With yorkshire puddings (ready made puffy frozen ones are easiest, just stick them in the oven to heat up at the right time).
Can it be frozen? Yes. Once you've left it to go completely cold. Again, I take the bones out so it's easier to reheat from frozen in the microwave.
NB: Cooked chicken bones shouldn't be given to pets. When they're cooked, they go hard and sharp and can seriously injure your pet! I do give Ivorcat the bits of cartilege etc that fall off the ends of the bones though and a bit of the skin)
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