This is my favourite way of cooking a chicken, as the meat is so moist.
For this recipe you will need a pan big enough for the whole chicken, I am fortunate to have a large stock pot!
You won’t get crispy skin though. If you like crispy skin, then remove the skin before you put it in the pan, place on a roasting tray and put it in the oven at 180°C for about 40 minutes or until it looks ready. It may not appear crispy, but will get more crispy as it cools.
The chicken can be used with any recipe you want as can the stock you will have by the end. The more water you add the more stock you get. You can use the stock for soups, stews, casseroles etc.
Stock contains collagen from the chicken, this is an important building block for your body, it is needed for all your cells. Your skin; stomach and gut lining; your veins and arteries; muscles, tendons and ligaments will all get stronger with this. It’s my secret elixir!
Ingredients:
Whole chicken – giblets and all!
Celery heart – The ends that you would usually chop off and the leafy bits, give them a good wash first
1 large carrot – scrubbed and cut unto chunks
1 large onion, top and tail it to get did of the roots and any dead bits and take of the outer dried leaves, I like to leave the brown layer closest to the onion as this still has some nutrients in it. Cut into chunks
Bouquet garni – or herbs of your choice – I use thyme, rosemary, tarragon, oregano from the garden, but you can use whatever you have got.
Enough water to cover the chicken until it is floating. The water is the base to your stock.
Method:
Put all ingredients into your pan and bring to the boil. Then reduce heat to a strong simmer. I usually use a 1.5kg chicken and the cooking time is about an hour. Way to tell if it’s cooked, get hold of the leg bone and pull, if it comes out with ease and no meat attached the bird is ready. If not, keep cooking until it does.
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