Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons Butter, softened
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil, plus extra for drizzling over chicken at end
- 4 garlic cloves: 2 cracked, 2 minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh Sage
- 1 5-6 lb. Chicken
- 4 medium Carrots cut into 2" chunks (about 6.5 ounces total)
- 2 Celery Stalks cut into 2" chunks (about 6 ounces)
- 1 Yellow Onion cut into quarters
- 8 small Red Skinned Potatoes, cut into quarters
- Handful Parsley
- Juice of one Lemon
- Salt & Pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Soak clay pot in water (completely submerged) for at least 30 minutes.
2. Mix softened butter with olive oil, add 2 minced garlic cloves, sage, lemon zest, salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
3. Loosen chicken skin by lightly inserting fingers under skin. Rub a small amount of butter/herb mixture lightly under loosened skin. Rub remaining butter mixture on outside of chicken. Season outside of chicken with salt and pepper.
4. Season chicken cavity with salt and pepper. Place as many vegetables as will fit, along with the 2 cracked garlic cloves in chicken cavity. Place remaining vegetables along with potatoes in bottom of baker.
5. Set chicken on top of vegetables in baker. Stuff parsley around the chicken. Squeeze lemon juice around chicken and onto parsley.
6. Add clay pot lid on top and put baker in cold oven. Set oven temperature to 425°F and cook for 1 ½ - 2 hours (the first 20-30 minutes of your baking time will be the oven coming up to temperature). Remove lid of clay pot and turn heat up to 500˚.
7. Remove chicken from the oven and drizzle extra olive oil over the skin while the oven reaches maximum temperature. Put chicken back in (still uncovered) and cook for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until skin is golden brown. Chicken is done when meat thermometer inserted in thigh area reads 165°F.