Name: Dutch Oven Whole Roasted Greek Chicken
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 90 min
Total time: 100 min
Ingredients: 1 whole roaster chicken; 2 tablespoons minced garlic; 1 lemon, (zest and juice); 4 sprigs fresh oregano, (removed from stem); 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil; 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

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Whole roasted chicken topped with garlic, lemon zest, fresh oregano and extra virgin olive oil; then cooked in a Dutch oven.

Not a week goes by where I don't make a whole roasted chicken. This one made in my Dutch oven with Greek flavors of lemon and oregano was delicious!

I make chicken frequently for several reasons including that it's one of the only "meats" my youngest will eat now. In the life of this blog, she's gone from eating only Chicken Dino's to eating everything I cook; to now only eating chicken, shrimp or pasta; including contemplating to go Vegetarian.

At 18, she can now cook whatever she wants for herself and gone are the days where I make separate meals. Cook once and either eat it or don't.

My main reason for making whole chicken frequently is because I can get several meals out of one whole roaster. Some of my favorite ways to utilize the leftovers are to make homemade chicken soup, chicken pot pie and chicken salad.

Depending on what type of seasoning I put on when roasting, it changes the flavor a slight bit to what I'm making too. However, in all of the times I've made it, I never cooked it in my Dutch oven. I know, crazy right? It fits perfectly and helps to cook the meat more evenly.

What is a Dutch oven?

A Dutch oven is a cooking pot that are usually made of cast iron, but can also be made of aluminum or ceramic. Some varieties are enameled; like the kind I have from Le Creuset and are also called French ovens.

It's one of my favorite kitchen essentials because it's heavy and thick enough to retain heat and deep enough to for large cuts of meat. I use mine most often when making pot roast, stews and soup.

How do you make Dutch Oven Whole Roasted Greek Chicken?

For this recipe I opted for popular flavors used in Greek cuisine. You'll need a whole roaster chicken, garlic, lemon zest and juice, fresh oregano, EVOO, Kosher salt and pepper.

Start by preheating the oven to 375 degrees F; then put the chicken in a 5-quart Dutch oven. Combine the garlic, lemon, oregano, EVOO, salt and pepper in a small bowl; then baste the chicken with a pastry brush.

Place the pot in the oven uncovered for 1-1 ½ hours, basting every 30 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Cooking times may vary depending on the size of the roaster.

Start at 15 minutes per pound; then check for doneness by inserting a meat thermometer into the chicken where the breast and leg section meet. It's done when it reads 180 degrees F.

Remove the pot from the oven, remove the chicken and place on a cutting board and allow to rest for 10 minutes before carving.

How do you carve a Whole chicken?

Carving a whole chicken or turkey is easy when you follow these steps:

Cut the legs from the body where the thigh meets the breast.
Cut through the leg joint to separate the drumstick from the thigh.
If you prefer your dark meat sliced, hold the drumstick by the leg and slice the meat downward off of the bone. For the thigh, cut the meat off of the bone angling the knife as you go.
Carve both breasts from the breastbone and ribcage; then slice the breast crosswise into ½-inch thick slices.

Here is what one looks like after it's been carved:

How do I make Gravy?

We tend not to eat gravy, because this Greek Chicken was so flavorful on it's own. However, I know many of you LOVE roasted chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy so here is how you make it.

Place the pan drippings in a saucepan, removing as much excess oil as you can.
Heat the pan drippings over medium high heat; then add your thickening agent (2 tbsp. cornstarch or flour + ¼ cup cold water).
Whisk until the gravy is smooth and has thickened to your liking, season with salt and pepper; then strain the gravy through a fine sieve.

I'll definitely be making more roaster chicken in my Dutch oven and can't believe I waited so long. The skin was super crispy and the meat was tender and moist. This recipe makes the perfect Sunday dinner meal and it's easy enough for a weeknight dinner as well. ~Enjoy!

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Dutch Oven Whole Roasted Greek Chicken

Carrie's Experimental Kitchen

Whole roasted chicken topped with garlic, lemon zest, fresh oregano and extra virgin olive oil; then cooked in a Dutch oven.

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Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 1 hr 30 mins

Total Time 1 hr 40 mins

Course Main Entree

Cuisine Mediterranean

Servings

Calories 556 kcal

Ingredients

1 whole roaster chicken
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 lemon, zest and juice
4 sprigs fresh oregano, removed from stem
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
⅛ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F; then put the chicken in a 5-quart Dutch oven.
Combine garlic, lemon, oregano, EVOO, salt and pepper in a small bowl; then baste the chicken with a pastry brush.
Place the pot in the oven uncovered for 1-1 ½ hours, basting every 30 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
(Cooking times may vary depending on the size of the roaster. Start at 15 minutes per pound; then check for doneness by inserting a meat thermometer into the chicken where the breast and leg section meet. It's done when it reads 180 degrees F.)
Remove the pot from the oven, remove the chicken and place on a cutting board and allow to rest for 10 minutes before carving.

Nutrition

Calories: 556kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 41gFat: 42gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 8gMonounsaturated Fat: 20gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 163mgSodium: 250mgPotassium: 441mgFiber: 1gSugar: 0.1gVitamin A: 328IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 52mgIron: 3mg

Keyword chicken

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