Whole Roast Chicken in Broth (Fall Off the Bone)

Created by

Gretchen

Total Time

3 hours 5 min

Prep Time

5 minutes

Cook Time

2-3 hours

Rating

(1)

Notes

Read our recipe notes below (0)

Once you make this whole roast chicken in broth, you’ll realize there’s nothing to making a whole chicken. In fact, you’ll feel like you can make anything after accomplishing this! If you have 5 minutes to spare − you can make this whole chicken. The result is tender, pull apart, juicy meat. Plus, you’ll also get a gelatinous meat broth to use for other cooking needs. This whole chicken works with your schedule. We’ll show you what to do whether you have lots of time, or not much time.

Ingredients

Yield: 6+ servings

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Directions

Step 1

Rinse the chicken in the sink, then set on a paper towel-lined plate. Pat dry with another paper towel. Season the entire chicken by sprinkling liberally with salt. Rub the salt all over the breasts, legs, and inside the cavity. Transfer chicken to a dutch oven.

Step 2

Fill the dutch oven with filtered water, stopping about half way up the chicken. Add the onion quarters, garlic cloves, bay leaves rosemary springs, and black peppercorns. Sprinkle a bit more salt into the water and on top of the chicken. Place lid on and bake in the oven at 275℉. Bake for approximately 3 hours. Chicken will be cooked through around 1-1½ hours, but will continue to become more tender if left to bake longer.

Step 3

Remove lid from dutch oven and turn heat up to 475℉ to allow chicken to turn golden. To speed things up, you can broil for a few minutes at the end, but keep a close eye so not to burn the chicken. Remove from oven when the skin is crisped and golden.

Step 4

Allow chicken to rest for 10-20 minutes before eating. If you want to break down the bird, carefully transfer to a cutting board using a spatula to support bottom of chicken and tongs to hold the chicken. The chicken will be pull apart tender.

Step 5

Broth: Make sure to save the meat broth! This is a nourishing, flavorful broth that can be used to cook rice or other grains/legumes. It can also be used in a soup. Strain the broth and pour it into a jar. Refrigerate overnight and then transfer to the freezer.

Bones/Scraps/Skin/Carcass: Be sure to save all bones and scraps and store in a Ziplock bag in the freezer. You’ll need all of this to make homemade chicken stock / bone broth.

Scheduling Tip:

This chicken is meant to work with your schedule. Whether you have more time or less time. If you want to leave the chicken in the oven for longer, start the temperature at 225-250℉. If you want the chicken to cook faster, bake at 350℉ and it will bake in 1 hour.