Clay Pot Chicken

We got to see an adorable couple the other night, Amy and Mike, and she gave me the sweetest gift, because she remembered that a year ago I had said I'd never tried cooking with a clay pot and she and her husband love cooking with it!  I wish I had a picture of them from the other night, but I don't.  Hopefully next time!!

She gave me a cookbook as well, but I decided to just wing it and see what happened.  It actually turned out pretty well!

So, to start you HAVE to soak the clay pot for 10 minutes in water (both pieces) to fill in the pores. 

During that time I prepared the chicken. 

After cleaning the chicken, put olive oil on the outside.

Then generously add salt and pepper.  And rub it all around.  Put some on the inside too.

Then roll 2 lemons to get the juices moving, prick them with a fork and put them inside the cavity of the chicken.

Smash garlic cloves and put a few of those inside the cavity as well.

Place the chicken in the clay pot.

Squeeze juice of a lemon over the top.  Leave the lemons in the pot.

Cut up an onion and put it around the chicken. Add some garlic in there.

Put rosemary in there.  I have my own rosemary now, yay!!

Now, put it in a COLD oven and then turn the heat to 450 degrees.  Let it cook for 1 hour 15 minutes.  Uncover it and let it cook for another 15 minutes.

Take it out and put it on a potholder or trivet, (not the cold counter, don't want it to break).

Let it set for a few minutes, then you have some yummy chicken!!  Enjoy!

This is Paleo for all you paleo people out there :)

Here's cute Buddy helping me out!

Clay Pot Chicken:
Ingredients:
1 whole chicken
3 lemons
6 garlic cloves
salt
pepper
olive oil
onion
rosemary, thyme, oregano (whatever you have)

Directions:
So, to start you HAVE to soak the clay pot for 10 minutes in water (both pieces) to fill in the pores.  After cleaning the chicken, put olive oil  on the outside.  Then generously add salt and pepper.  And rub it all around.  Put some on the inside too.  Then roll 2 lemons to get the juices moving, prick them with a fork and put them inside the cavity of the chicken.  Smash garlic cloves and put a few of those inside the cavity as well.  Place the chicken in the clay pot.  Squeeze juice of a lemon over the top.  Leave the lemons in the pot.  Cut up an onion and put it around the chicken.  Add some garlic in there.  Put rosemary in there.  Now, put it in a COLD oven and then turn the heat to 450 degrees.  Let it cook for 1 hour 15 minutes.  Uncover it and let it cook for another 15 minutes.  Take it out and put it on a potholder or trivet, (not the cold counter, don't want it to break).  Let it set for a few minutes, then you have some yummy chicken!!