Wanted: Recipe for free-range chicken

[grower]

We put several of our roosters in the freezer a couple of weeks ago, and I'm looking for some good recipes. The meat is just as good as (if not better than) store-bought chicken, although the carcasses have less meat on them. I'm just tired of cooking chicken the same old way, and want maybe a "more elegant" recipe to use that will make everybody sit up and notice, but preferably using the basic spices and ingredients I have at hand. I realize I'm asking a lot, but anybody have any favorite recipes they'd like to share?

[Micah68]

We put several of our roosters in the freezer a couple of weeks ago, and I'm looking for some good recipes. The meat is just as good as (if not better than) store-bought chicken, although the carcasses have less meat on them. I'm just tired of cooking chicken the same old way, and want maybe a "more elegant" recipe to use that will make everybody sit up and notice, but preferably using the basic spices and ingredients I have at hand. I realize I'm asking a lot, but anybody have any favorite recipes they'd like to share?

Do you have a rotisserie? I think my garlic chicken recipe is on here somewhere, will look for it later and post it if a search doesn't turn it up.

[AngelDance]

Cut chicken into pieces. Season with salt and pepper. Sear until dark golden brown in olive oil. Transfer to crock pot. Add a whole clove of garlic, a sprig of thyme, 1/4 cup finely diced onion, and 1/4 cup water or chicken stock,

Cook on high for 2-3 hours.

Remove chicken to a platter and cover with foil (leftover from making hats, lol) Remove and discard thyme sprig.

Skim off extra fat and add 3 Tbsp flour mixed with milk to a smooth, heavy cream consistency to the liquid in the crockpot. Cook, whisking occasionally until thickened, about an hour.

Put Chicken back in pot. Turn off pot and allow to sit 15 minutes, till chicken is warmed through.

Serve over rice with veggies of choice

** you can stir in mushrooms and sour cream when you add back the chicken, too.
** a little brandy, some white grapes, and some grated orange zest (or dried orange peel) added to the sauce when you put the chicken back in results in an easy Chicken Veronique

Angel

PS: Forgot to say this can be done on a wood cookstove (top or oven, using a Dutch oven) or on a fire pit. If using either of these methods, timing is DOE and/or temps.

[Homesteader1]

I'll look up a sweet and sour chicken casserole with brown rice I have and post it in the recipe forum, ASAP. I also have a cashew chicken that is very good and how about chicken skewers with veggies, marinated in mixture( to taste) of soy sauce, terriaki sauce and worchestershire sauce, with a wee bit of honey, garlic( minced) and salt and pepper, then cook over a slow BBQ, brushing on more marinade as it cooks.

I'll look up the others and post ASAP

[goatlady]

Easy and very tasty to my gang - bake chicken pieces in open pan in the oven, basting with butter, 1/2 way through (30 minutes or so) turn the chicken and start basting a couple times with a honey cinnamon mixture slightly warmed for easy "drizzeling" bake another 30 minutes or so, serve with rice, spoon the "juices" over the rice, and whtever. the taste is really nice and compliments the chicken, especially free-range which has a stronger flavor than store bought. Honey and cinnamon mix is prettymuch to taste, I use about a cup of honey and use maybe a level tablespoon of cinnamon and a shake or three of garlic granules.

[Disastercat]

Chicken Under a Brick

If its not too tough (and an older rooster might be) you can try splitting it down the back and removing the back bone.

Now flatten and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil with in a cast iron pan and place some chopped garlic in it. Lay flattened chicken in it, oil should be hot but not burning the garlic. Cover with Foil.

Now, place another skillet or heavy pan on top of the chicken (to smash it). Put a brick or another heavy pan inside. You want to smash the chicken into the oil and garlic.

Keep an eye on it, if you smell burning open and remove garlic.

After about 20 minutes, turn chicken and cook for 10 more minutes (the same way under the foil).

You can also add rosemary or other herbs to this.

Its called "Chicken Under a Brick" and is an old Italian way of cooking chicken. Its very good, but only works with a very large pan or a smaller chicken. Chickens that are too large can take too long to cook and will burn on the outside. Also, an older tough bird really needs to simmer.

Old Irish Stewed Hen

You can do this with an old cockerel too. This is the traditional Irish way of cooking old birds which was the only meat a lot of rural people saw except for bacon.

Take and clean an older bird. Make sure all feathers are gone.

If you want a bread, apple or sausage stuffing, be sure to SEW the bird together after doing so. Most of the time people did not bother.

Place bird in a pot of cold water.
Add a large pealed onion with whole cloves stuck in it.

Bring pot to a boil, skim off scum and then simmer for several hours. Add a bit of salt during the last half hour of cooking.

Because most families only had one cook pot (and this dish was traditionally done in a "spider" pot with legs or on the back of the turf stove) sometimes other vegetables might be added. But the traditional version is an unstuff chicken, with just the water, onion and salt for flavoring.

Its very simple, but if cooked just right it is very good. It would have been served in Ireland with boiled potatoes, soda bread and whatever else was to hand (turnips, cabbage etc).

We sometimes add garlic, garden herbs like rosemary etc., but the onion and clove on their own is very interesting.

This is also a good way to cook an old bird you want to strip down for chicken meat after its done. The flavor is good and the slow cooking keeps the meat moist.

[Homesteader1]

Cashew Chicken Bake
3c, cubed chicken
1-1/2 c. chopped celery
1-1/2c. small pasta( rissoto) or even brown rice
1c. mayonnaise
1Tbsp. grated onion
1/2 tsp. salt
pepper to taste
1c. salted cashew halves

In a bowl combine the first 9 ingredience. Chop 1/4 c. cashews, set aside. Stir the remaining cashews into the chicken mixture. Place the chciken mixture into a well greased baking dish. Sprinkle with the remaining cashews and bake uncovered @375F for 20-25 minutes

Chicken Enchiladas
4c. shredded( cooked) chicken
2c.(8oz.) shredded cheddar cheese( divided)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/3c. chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1tsp. salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1can ripe olives( drained and sliced)
10 tortillas
1/2c. monterey jack cheese( shredded)
Homemade Echilada Sauce
3 cans tomato sauce( 8 oz each) or home canned( approx 1 to 1-1/2c.)
1Tbsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp cumin

In a large bowl combine chicken, 1c. cheddar cheese, mushroom soup, onion, salt and pepper. In a saucepan combine tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin and ripe olives, simmer for 5-10 minutes. Meanwhile place 1/3 to 1/2c. of chicken mixture into center of tortilla shells and roll up, placing in a greased 13"x9" pan. Top the tortillas with the sauce and sprinkle with monterey jack and cheddar cheeses. Bake uncovered@ 350 for 20-25 minutes

Curried Barley Chicken
1/2c, chopped onion
1/2 c. chopped green pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 med. tart apple( chopped)
1-2 Tbsp. curry powder
2-1/2 c. chicken broth
1c, med. pearl barley
3-4c. chopped chicken( uncooked)
1/4 tsp garlic salt
3Tbsp. orange marmalade jam

In skillet saute' onion, pepper and garlic in oil until tender. Stir in apple and curry and cook 1-2 minutes. Add broth and barley, bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover, simmering for 15 minutes. Transfer this to a greased baking dish, arrange chicken on top, sprinkle with garlic salt. Cover and bake @375 for 45 minutes. Uncover and brsuh top with marmalade. Bake uncovered for 15 minutes, or until barley is tender.

Sweet and Sour Chicken
Brown 1 cut up chicken. Place chicken in a shallow pan, skin side up, season with salt and pepper.
Sauce
3/4 c. pineapple juice
1c. sugar( or 1/2 c, honey)
2Tbsp. cornstarch
3/4c. vinegar
1Tbsp soy sauce
1/4 tsp. ginger
one chicken bullion cube
In sauce pot put 3/4 c. pineapple juice and enough water to make 1-1/4 c. Add sugar( honey), cornstarch, vinegar, soy sauce, ginger and bullion cube. Bring to a boil stirring constantly. Boil for 2 minutes. Pour over chicken and bake for 1 hour at 350F. This is good served over brown rice or if you'd like to jazz it up make a fried rice

ENJOY!

[Alder]

You can't go wrong with a good roasted chicken. (As long as your rooster isn't old and tough..)

I rub mine inside, outside and under the skin with a paste of olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, sage, and a little celery seed. (All from preps!!!) Just roast that baby in a 350 oven for 20 minutes per lb. like you do a turkey. Good crispy brown skin...yummm. If your oven browns too fast, put a *very* loose tent of aluminum foil over the breast for part of the cooking time. When the drumsticks come loose, it's done.

Throw it in the oven and forget about it. Make gravy from the juices and stuffing on the side if you like. An impressive table presentation, tastes awesome, plus good bones to pick and make soup from, too.

[Animal Lover]

When you make one of the sauce type recipes serve with pretty veggies mixed into the sauce and pour into phyllo dough (baked) cups. It is really pretty and people think you have done something special because it IS pretty. (I can get carrots into my hubby this way. AL

[Grannyof3]

Rotisserie Chicken in a Crockpot

Crumple pieces of aluminum foil into 4-6 balls, and place in the bottom of your crockpot. Cover whole chicken liberally with seasoned salt (until it is 'brown' with seasoning), then place in crockpot on top of aluminum foil balls. Cook on high for 6 1/2-7 hours. Viola! Rotisserie-style chicken.

(From the Hillbilly Housewife cooking site)