About
I am always looking for new ways to braise a whole chicken. A whole chicken is inexpensive and offers so much meat. In this recipe, a whole chicken is broken down, salted, and then seared on all sides to create a delicious base of flavor. The chicken is removed from the pot to which forty whole garlic cloves are added along with a good shot of whiskey to deglaze the pan. The chicken is added back into the pan with some chicken stock and fresh thyme. The meat is cooked until very tender and falling off the bone. Bonus points if you break down the whole chicken yourself and make a quick chicken stock using the backbone that can be used in the recipe! Talk about resourceful!
What kind of chicken should I use?
I like to use a whole chicken because it is the best bang for your buck. Though feel free to buy chicken that has already been cut into parts or bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks.
What kind of garlic should I use?
I like to use pre-peeled garlic to make prepping this dish easy. Do not use jarred garlic.
What else can I deglaze the pan with?
You can also use white wine instead of whiskey.
Serving suggestions
Serve Keto Chicken with Forth Cloves of Garlic with a nice vegetable side like Keto Roasted Brussels Sprouts.
*Note- individual serving weight includes bones and skin.
Ingredients
- 5 lb chicken whole meat and skin raw
- 3 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ¼ cup whiskey
- 40 clove garlic
- 1 ½ cup chicken broth
Instructions
- Start with a whole chicken and begin to cut it into 4 parts. Slice the crease between the breast and the thighs. Pop the thigh joint back and then poke a sharp chef’s knife into the joint and cut it from the center. Repeat on the other side. Remove the two wings from the center. Set all pieces aside on a baking sheet. Remove the wishbone by making a slit on either side of the bone and pull both sides out. Cut the breasts from the backbone leaving the breast meat on the bone (this helps to add more flavor to the dish). Cut the breast in half lengthwise. Season the chicken all over with kosher salt and black pepper.
- Heat a 5 qt dutch oven over medium heat until hot. Add the butter and swirl to melt it and coat the pan. Add in the dark meat pieces first as they release fat that will help to later brown the breast pieces. Sear over medium heat for 10 minutes. Giving it a good sear will allow lots of flavors to develop. Flip and cook for 5 minutes on the other side. Remove to the original baking sheet and cook the breast pieces in the same manner.
- Add the garlic to the pot and deglaze the pan with the whiskey. Use a wooden spoon to scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Turn the garlic often for about 5-10 minutes until browned all over. If the pot dries out and looks like it could burn, add some chicken broth and continue cooking to brown the garlic.
- Add the chicken back into the pan along with 1 ½ cup chicken broth. Add in the thyme as well.
- Put the lid on the pot and allow the chicken to cook at a simmer for an hour or until the meat is very tender. Serve immediately.
Nutrition Facts
- Servings: 8
- Calories: 670.5kcal/2805.2kJ (per serving)
- Fat: 44.8g (per serving)
- Carbs: 5.1g (per serving)
- Protein: 54.7g (per serving)
