Wet Roast Chicken with Mushroom Sauce

by Meathenge

A savory roast chicken recipe perfect for a cast iron pot, served with a parsnip-pumpkin puree.

Wet Roast Chicken with Mushroom Sauce

  • Servings: 4 servings

Wet roasting, also known as braising, is a cooking technique used to cook meats, vegetables, and other ingredients slowly in a covered pot or pan with a small amount of liquid. The method combines both dry heat from the oven or stovetop and moist heat from the liquid to cook the ingredients to tender and flavorful perfection.

Ingredients

  • 1 4 lb. roasting chicken
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4" rounds
  • 2 stalks celery, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, smashed with the side of a knife
  • 3-4 cups chicken stock
  • 1/2 lb. mushrooms, cleaned and chopped in half
  • 3 tbsp. olive oil, 2 for pot, 1 for chicken
  • 2 tsp. paprika
  • to taste salt

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place rack on bottom shelf.
  • Remove giblets from chicken. Reserve neck.
  • Cut back out of chicken and cut into several pieces.
  • With breast side down, score the back of the breastbone and flip chicken over.
  • Smack down center of breast in order to flatten chicken somewhat.
  • Heat 2 tbsp. olive oil in 5-6 quart cast iron pot over medium heat.
  • Add onion, celery, carrots, garlic and chicken backs. Sauté until vegetables are quite soft, approximately 5-10 minutes.
  • Add enough chicken stock to cover the vegetables and increase heat to high.
  • Bring to a rolling boil and boil 5 minutes.
  • Remove from heat, and place chicken inside pot, breast side up. You basically want the chicken to float on top, barely submerged.
  • Drizzle chicken with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and paprika.
  • Place in oven and roast uncovered until a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the breast reaches 160 degrees.
  • Remove chicken from oven and pot, and place on a plate to rest. Cover lightly to keep warm.
  • Using a ladle, remove most of the fat floating on top of the liquid. If desired, blend liquid until smooth using an immersion blender.
  • Add mushrooms, and bring sauce to a boil.
  • Simmer for several minutes until mushrooms are cooked through. Serve immediately.