Dutch Oven Chicken & Veggie’s

What’s for dinner at the Mullins tonight? Had a special request for healthly one pot meals. I love cooking in cast iron so tonight’s meal was done in my 12″ Dutch Oven using my outdoor grill.  I fired it up on high and put dutch oven on grates to get nice and hot. I used a whole chicken that I cut up into pieces and chopped up the following:

Whole Chicken cut up into pieces with a little olive oil on skin, kosher salt & pepper (don’t be stingy when seasoning)

Carrots (sliced)

Portabella Mushrooms (sliced)

Sweet Potatoes (wedges)

Onion (slices)

Garlic, Whole (I used 3 large cloves, smashed)

Lemon

Cherry Tomatoes cut in 1/2

Fresh Thyme, and Rosemary that I robbed from the neighbor (shhhhh)

 

 

 

 

So here’s how it goes. Once dutch oven is smokin hot, added a little olive oil and seared off chicken pieces including the backbone, neck, and innards. Never throw them away, they add delicious flavor to your dish.  If you make stock, wrap them up in plastic wrap and throw in freezer.

Once chicken has been seared off on both sides add 1/2 cup white wine . Throw all the veggie’s on top, squeese juice from lemon, throw in lemon halfs and cover dutch oven. At this point you want to use indirect heat.  I have 3 burners on my grill. I place dutch oven in middle of grill and I turn off the middle burner and turn the other 2 on low. If you have themometer on grill it should be around 225-250. Cook 1 – 1 1/2 hour’s and turn off grill. Nice thing about cooking with cast iron is it keeps your food nice and warm and holds at proper temperature. For you crockpot lovers, sear off chicken on stove and throw it  and all your veggie’s in your pot and follow directions from your manufacturer.

I was at the Farmers Market in Winnsboro this past weekend and picked up some Figs from one of the local growers. I just sliced them and placed them on top of meal after it was done.

 

 

 

 

Cooking healthy is very simple. Pick up your favorite veggie’s, a whole chicken, and always keep Olive Oil, Kosher Salt, and Pepper on hand. My one dish pot meals are usually inspired by veggie’s that need to be cooked. No recipe needed.