Pot-Roast Cider Chicken

When snow was coating the UK Abel & Cole contacted me asking if I would like to try one of their soya-free chickens. It's an intriguing concept and not one I had really considered or come across before. As the majority of GM-free soya comes from Brazil, where rainforests are chopped down to make way for soya, Abel & Cole have looked into soya-free ways of chicken getting their protein for growth. I was pleased with the quality of the bird. I'm fortunate to have a very good supplier of organic, free range meat and will continue to use them, but for what ever reason I can't get to them I'll be giving Abel & Cole a call.

Like the chicken we usually buy, this chicken came with the giblets. I'm always freaked out by the giblets. Half pig? fine, giblets stuffed up a chicken? um, no chance. Thank goodness for Hubby. I know I should have kept them to make the ultimate chicken stock, but I couldn't bring myself to use them. Maybe I've eventually get over my gibletphobia.

To cook the chicken I wanted to try pot-roasting, different from my usual way of cooking a chicken. Something I hadn't tried with chicken. I was also yet another excuse to use my Le Creuset dish. Rarely does a week go by when I don't use the Le Creuset dish I got for Christmas. I admit I'm a bit obsessed with it. I was pleased how it turned out. This method of roasting produced a succulent and tasty bird. The roasting juices were then used as a slightly sweet gravy. I'll certainly cook a chicken again this way.


Based on this recipe from Delicious Magazine

Pot-Roast Cider Chicken

1.5kg whole free-range chicken with giblets removed.
330ml dry cider
2 large onions, wedges
4 sprigs fresh thyme leaves

1) Preheat oven to 220oc. Scatter the onion wedges over the bottom of the casserole pan then place chicken on top of the onions. Pour in the cider and sprinkle with thyme. Replace lid and roast in oven for 45 min.

2) Uncover the chicken and roast for a further 45 min, until the chicken is cooked. Remove chicken from pan, wrap in foil and rest for 20 min. The remaining liquid in the pan can be used as a gravy.