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Garlic & Ginger Chicken Baked in a Clay Pot

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Submitted by rfblake

Whole chicken rubbed under the skin with garlic, ginger, and sesame oil, then roasted in a clay pot. Just 5 ingredients for juicy, aromatic Chinese-style roast chicken.

YIELD

4 servings

PREP

20 min

COOK

60 min

READY

90 min

Clay pot roasting traps steam and bastes this chicken in its own juices the entire time. The result is impossibly moist meat with skin that crisps up in the dry heat, all from a cold-oven start with zero fuss.

The flavor here is all about what goes under the skin. Minced garlic, fresh grated ginger, salt, and pepper get rubbed directly onto the flesh, not on top of the skin where they’d just burn. A brush of sesame oil on the outside adds a subtle nuttiness as the skin renders and tightens.

Starting in a cold oven is not a shortcut; it’s the whole technique. The clay pot and the oven heat up together, which prevents the pot from cracking and gives the chicken a slow initial rise in temperature that cooks it evenly from the outside in.

Chef Tips

  • Soak the clay pot for the full 10 minutes; skipping this step risks cracking the pot and drying out the chicken
  • Always place the hot clay pot on a towel or wooden board, never a cold counter or stovetop; thermal shock will crack it instantly
  • The pan juices are liquid gold; spoon them over rice or use as a simple sauce
  • Pat the chicken completely dry before rubbing; moisture under the skin creates steam pockets instead of crispy skin

Variations

  • Five spice version: Add ½ teaspoon Chinese five spice powder to the garlic-ginger rub
  • Lemongrass ginger: Stuff the cavity with lemongrass stalks and lime leaves before roasting
  • Soy glaze: Brush with a mix of soy sauce and honey during the last 10 minutes of roasting

Ingredients

4 1.8
POUNDS KG CHICKEN
frying
2 2
CLOVES CLOVES GARLIC
large, minced
1 1
KNOB KNOB GINGER
fresh, grated *
1
X SALT AND BLACK PEPPER
to taste *
2 10
TEASPOONS ML SESAME OIL

Directions

Rinse the chicken inside and out and pat dry.

Work your fingers under the skin of the chicken, carefully loosening skin from flesh across the breast and legs.

Mix together the garlic, ginger, salt and pepper; rub evenly under the skin.

Brush the chicken with sesame oil.

Soak a 2-quart unglazed clay cooking pot in cold water to cover for 10 minutes.

Drain and place the chicken breast-up in the pot.

Cover and place in a cold oven; turn the thermostat to 475F and roast for 1 hour.

Remove pot from oven and place on a towel.

Put lid on another towel (the hot clay will break if placed on a cold surface).

Transfer chicken to a heated serving platter and drizzle with some of the juices left in the pot.

* not incl. in nutrient facts Arrow up button

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Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 461g (16.3 oz)
Amount per Serving
Calories 889 36% from fat
 % Daily Value *
Total Fat 36g 55%
Saturated Fat 10g 48%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 404mg 135%
Sodium 391mg 16%
Total Carbohydrate 0g 0%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Sugars g
Protein 263g
Vitamin A 5% Vitamin C 2%
Calcium 8% Iron 31%
* based on a 2,000 calorie diet How is this calculated?
Trans-fat Free, Low Carb, Sugar-Free
 
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