Clay Pot Chicken

Clay Pot Chicken

For some reason, any meal that comes with a "sauce" seems extra fancy to me. Sauce comes from resturaunts, where sous chefs can spend time laboring and balancing out a delicate saucy accompaniment. It always seems like a step too far for a weeknight meal. The Clay Pot Chicken came together great, and I was happily surprised at how easy it was! The sauce, included.
This was overall, a hands-off meal. I had the mushrooms (shitake and crimini)/green onions/ginger cooked and stuffed in the bird in about 15 minutes. While that was going, I prepped the cooking juices, then popped it all in a dutch oven! Easy.

The flavor was great. I used a mango chutney I got from Trader Joes, and it added a fruity and sweet taste. The effect was almost like a sweet and sour! The bird itself turned out moist and tender, too. Because I do not have the clay pot, I cooked it at 425 for 90 minutes, then 5 more minutes to crisp the skin.

Clay Pot Chicken

If you don't have a clay pot, perhaps a good sturdy casserole will do, at a reduced heat.

Ingredients:

3 slices peeled ginger
1 TBSP oil
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms 
5 green onions, cut into 2 - inch strips
A smallish (3 lb) chicken
2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 tbsp sherry
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp curry powder
1 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup chutney

Directions:

Soak clay pot in cold water for 15 minutes. Lightly sauté ginger slices in oil. Add mushrooms and green onions and sautee until tender. spoon sautéed vegetables into chicken. Put the chicken in clay cooker breast side up. Combine chicken broth, soy sauce, sherry, honey, and curry powder. Pour over chicken. Cover, and place cooker in cold oven. Bake at 475 degrees (less if you use an ordinary casserole) 1 1/2 hours. Pour juices from chicken into small saucepan. Return chicken to oven uncovered until skin becomes crisp. Combine cornstarch and water until smooth, stir into the juices. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Str in chutney. Heat until thickened and clear. Remove chicken to serving platter on a bed of cooked rice, if desired. Pour thickened glaze over chicken.

The Aftermath