One-Pot Autumn Herb Roasted Chicken with Butter Toasted Wild Rice
Try this One-Pot Autumn Herb Roasted Chicken with Butter Toasted Wild Rice recipe.
Try this One-Pot Autumn Herb Roasted Chicken with Butter Toasted Wild Rice recipe.
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- juice of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme chopped
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 2 cups apple cider
- 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 3-4 pounds bone-in chicken parts (breast thighs + legs), pat dry
- 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary chopped
- 2 tablespoons + 4 tablespoons butter divided
- 1 1/2 cups wild rice
- 3/4 cup orzo pasta (use gluten free if needed)
- 1 cup of your favorite beer (i used pumpkin)
- 3 carrots, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
- 2 cups button mushrooms
- 2 tablespoons dried parsley (or 1/4 cup fresh)
- 4 whole sage leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried) chopped
- 1 head garlic halved
- 1 sweet onion peel + cut into fourths
- Carbohydrate 56.4474847199448 g
- Cholesterol 393.501041671027 mg
- Fat 83.8432159767253 g
- Fiber 4.03029989904494 g
- Protein 104.541423472269 g
- Saturated Fat 24.8901325569861 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (701g)
- Sodium 407.750762163806 mg
- Sugar 52.4171848208998 g
- Trans Fat 6.99753952797173 g
- Calories 1414 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Heat a large 3-5 quart brasier or dutch oven over high heat. Add the 2 tablespoons olive oil. Place the chicken in a ziplock bag and toss with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, thyme, rosemary, brown sugar, and a good pinch of both salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the hot brasier (or whatever you are using) and sear on both sides until lightly browned, about 2 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the pan. Repeat with any remaining chicken, remove from the pan.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add 2 tablespoons butter. Add the orzo and cook about 1-2 minutes or until lightly toasted and golden, stirring often (watch this closely as it burns fast). Add the wild rice and toast another 1-2 minutes, stirring often. Toss in the carrots and mushrooms, cook 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth, beer and another pinch of salt and pepper. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Stir in the parsley and sage. Remove from the heat.
- Place the chicken right on top of the rice. Drizzle with lemon juice, season lightly with salt and pepper. Add the onion quarters and garlic (you can leave the skin on the garlic). Throw in a few sprigs of fresh thyme and rosemary. Divide the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter over the chicken pieces. Cover the pan tightly with a lid (or tin foil if you have to, but a tight fitting lid works best).
- Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is cooked. During the last 5 minutes of cooking remove the lid and allow the chicken to brown a little more, if needed, add in 1/2 cup more chicken broth to keep the rice from getting dry.
- To serve, plate the rice and chicken, if desired, drizzle with cider (recipe below).
- If desired, make the cider drizzle while the chicken roasts. Add the cider to a sauce pot and bring to a boil. Boil for 15-20 minutes or until the cider is reduced and thick + syrupy. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter.
A list of ingredients fails to reveal how dry heat turns into moist heat inside a heavy-bottomed braiser. When poultry roasts directly atop a bed of grains and stock, escaping moisture gets trapped under a tight lid. This creates an enclosed microclimate where the chicken steams through its center while rendering fat downward into the starch. That descending fat coats the grains, preventing them from fusing into a solid mass during absorption.
Thermal Mechanics and Grain Toasting
Dry-toasting orzo and wild rice in butter before adding liquids triggers the Maillard reaction on the grain surfaces. Proteins and reducing sugars combine under heat to develop nutty precursors that boiling alone cannot achieve. Use a heavy 3-to-5-quart Dutch oven for this step to ensure even heat distribution. Maintain the oven temperature at 400 degrees Fahrenheit to drive rapid liquid absorption without scorching the bottom layer. Watch the orzo closely during the initial one-minute pan toast because its smaller surface area browns much faster than the wild rice.
The Cider Reduction and Storing Leftovers
Boiling apple cider separately concentrates its natural sugars into a thick syrup by evaporating excess water. Pouring this reduced acid over the finished dish cuts through the richness of the rendered chicken fat. Store any remaining portions in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat leftovers gently on the stove with an extra splash of chicken broth to restore moisture to the grains.
