Easy Fail-Proof Dutch Oven Chicken

Every now and then I just want a delicious juicy chicken.  Sure, Costco rotisserie chicken is fast and cheap, but it's very oily and there is something so satisfying about making a whole chicken from scratch.  It also makes your home smell AMAZING!

This recipe is so easy with the proper tools.  I recommend a Lodge dutch oven.  It has a great seal to the lid and is very affordable.  I don't waste my time or materials lining the lid with foil.  You can spend more for another dutch oven, but this one gets the job done and looks just as good as the others.

Materials:
Dutch Oven large enough to fit a whole chicken
Whole Chicken, 4 to 5 pounds - thawed
Butter - 2 tbsp
Onion - one medium - diced
Carrot - two medium - diced
Celery - one to two stalks - diced
Fresh Thyme - whole sprigs
Salt and Pepper

Instructions:
Move your oven rack to the lowest setting and preheat the oven to 250 degrees.  Heat and melt the butter in the dutch oven on high.  Salt and pepper the chicken.  If you want to get "really fancy", carefully separate the skin from the breast and rub soft butter between the skin and meat.

Place the chicken breast down and brown for 6 to 8 minutes. Scatter the thyme and veggies around the chicken while it browns.  After the 6 to 8 minutes, use a spoon in the cavity of the chicken to flip it to brown the other side for 6 to 8 minutes.

After the chicken has browned, place the lid on the dutch oven and bake for about an hour.  Cooking times will vary depending on your oven and the size of the chicken.  Check the breast and thigh with a meat thermometer for doneness.

Once the chicken has reached the proper temperature, remove it from the oven, place on a cutting board, tent with foil, and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes.  This will allow the juices to set into the meat.  Once it has set, carve the bird and enjoy!

Little tip...transfer the bird carcass and veggies into a programmable crock pot to make chicken stock! This helps you get full use of the chicken and it is delicious!!  I will post more detail in another post.