A Dutch oven is a heavyweight pot with a tight-fitting lid of seasoned cast iron. It is a great way to cook your chicken. The Dutch oven heats evenly and can maintain heat for very long periods. This feature makes it perfect for browning, braising, frying, and baking.
A 5-pound chicken roasts in a moist atmosphere for juicy and moist results for around 1 hour and 15 minutes in a covered Dutch oven. The skin begins to brown while cooking in the covered saucepan without burning quickly. It roasts uncovered for 30 minutes to get that gorgeous, crispy, golden brown skin.
The Dutch oven is used in different ways; it can be placed on direct heat, on a charcoal stove, on a gas stove, or even on an electric stove. The Dutch oven can also be placed in an oven, and lastly, you could place hot coals around your Dutch oven to cook whatever you have inside it.
How do I cook whole chicken inside a dutch oven?
Chicken prepared in a Dutch oven is easier and only requires a few steps.
All you have to do is;
- Start by preheating your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. This should take around 15 mins, so in that time, you can proceed to prep your chicken for the oven.
- Wash and get your chicken ready.
- In the Dutch oven, place roughly chopped, big chunks of Potatoes and carrots, which would serve as the base, on top of which your chicken would sit. This prevents burning your chicken’s bottom layer and makes your Dutch oven chicken a one-pot meal.
- Drizzle a little oil on the base, and add; parsnips, parsley, and crushed garlic on the base.
- Mash up butter, and add; small-sized cut ginger, onion salt, black pepper, lemon zest, and herbs.
- Use a spoon to loosen the skin on the breast, and put in a little of the butter and herbs mix, spreading it beneath the skin, stuffing the inside of the chicken with a little of the carrot, the potatoes, and the butter and herbs mix.
- Apply the butter and herb mix on the chicken, spreading it with your clean/gloved hands.
- Tie the thighs with a rope, and sit your chicken breast inside the Dutch oven on the base.
- Close the lid of your Dutch oven, and place it inside it to begin cooking.
How long should my chicken stay in the Dutch Oven?
The cooking time for a whole chicken in a Dutch oven depends on the chicken’s size and the oven’s temperature. For a 425 degrees Fahrenheit oven, the following are the cook times for different sizes of chicken:
| Size | Cook Time |
| 3 Pounds | 1 hour at 425 degrees Fahrenheit. |
| 5 pounds | 1 hour, 45 minutes at 425 degrees Fahrenheit. |
| 6 pounds and above | 2 hours, 15 minutes at 425 degrees Fahrenheit. |
At what temperature should I cook chicken in a dutch oven?
Cooking the temperature for chicken in a Dutch oven is tricky; it is not the usual “one size fits all temperature.”
After preheating your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and placing the Dutch oven inside the oven to cook, you must time the first process for 15-30 minutes and then turn the temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. At this temperature, your whole chicken will cook until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Five minutes before you remove the chicken, uncover and remove the Dutch oven lid, and cook at 325 degrees Fahrenheit to get that burnt, brown look on your chicken breast.
Considerations
● Pat your chicken dry before applying the seasoning on the surface of the chicken; this helps get rid of unwanted moisture. It would be better if the juice from the chicken cooked it.
● For maximum taste, rub the butter plus your spices under the skin.
● Cook with lid closed until 5 minutes before it comes out of the oven.
What Size Can Contain A Whole Chicken?
There are different sizes of Dutch ovens, as there are different sizes of pots in the market. What you would be cooking and the size of your family will inevitably influence what size you would get.
| Whole Chicken Size | Dutch Oven Size | With or Without Extra Room |
| 4 Pound | 5 Quart Oval Oven | No extra room for veggies |
| 4 Pound | 7 Quart Oval Oven | Extra room for veggies |
| 6 Pound | 7 Quart round oven | Extra room for veggies |
What Kind of Dutch Oven Should I Order?
The kind of Dutch oven you purchase highly depends on your heat source. Enamel Dutch ovens are perfect for oven use, but the cast-iron Dutch oven was designed for an outdoor and direct heat source. The cast-iron Dutch oven can withstand direct contact with blazing flames.
Why is my Dutch oven cooking Unevenly?
Your Dutch oven is overstuffed. You need to decongest or get a bigger size to accommodate your needs. When there’s too much chicken in the pot, heat cannot circulate.
Another reason why your chicken is not evenly cooked after using a Dutch oven is that you need to follow the temperature required for the recipe you are following. If you cook at a higher-than-recommended temperature, your chicken will get cooked easily and quickly on the outside while still retaining its raw state on the inside.
Can I Slow Cook With My Dutch Oven?
Yes, you absolutely can. Dutch ovens are also used to prepare stews, so all you have to do is set it on low heat and add a little stock to your base before placing your chicken on it. Close the lid, and forget about it for a while.
What Kind of Oven Should I use?
A convection oven, which uses stagnant and circulating air, is perfect for browning poultry products in the oven, so it is recommended that you use this kind, but really, any oven would do the job.
The Dutch oven is a versatile cookware that anyone can learn to use. Its ability to be used on direct heat outdoors and in an oven indoors makes it a great addition to your kitchen. Remember how delicious chicken tastes after being cooked in a Dutch oven?
How do I cook whole chicken inside a dutch oven?
Instructions
- Start by preheating your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. This should take around 15 mins, so in that time, you can proceed to prep your chicken for the oven.
- Wash and get your chicken ready.
- In the Dutch oven, place roughly chopped, big chunks of Potatoes and carrots, which would serve as the base, on top of which your chicken would sit. This prevents burning your chicken’s bottom layer and makes your Dutch oven chicken a one-pot meal.
- Drizzle a little oil on the base, and add; parsnips, parsley, and crushed garlic on the base.
- Mash up butter, and add; small-sized cut ginger, onion salt, black pepper, lemon zest, and herbs.
- Use a spoon to loosen the skin on the breast, and put in a little of the butter and herbs mix, spreading it beneath the skin, stuffing the inside of the chicken with a little of the carrot, the potatoes, and the butter and herbs mix.
- Apply the butter and herb mix on the chicken, spreading it with your clean/gloved hands.
- Tie the thighs with a rope, and sit your chicken breast inside the Dutch oven on the base.
- Close the lid of your Dutch oven, and place it inside it to begin cooking.
Video
Conclusion
Cooking a whole chicken in a Dutch oven is an excellent way to achieve juicy, flavorful meat with crispy skin. Following the steps outlined in this guide, you can prepare a delicious and satisfying meal to impress your friends and family.
Remember to season the chicken well, baste it regularly, and allow it to rest before carving. You’ll quickly become a Dutch oven chicken cooking expert with a little practice.
