Braised Chicken

Ingredients

• 4 pounds Whole Chicken (About 1.8 kg)
• 2 slices Salt Pork (Thick cut)
• 5 slices Carrot (Small cubes)
• 0.5 Onion (Sliced)
• 2 sprigs Thyme
• 1 sprig Parsley
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 2 tablespoons Butter
• 2 cups Boiling Water (Or Chicken Stock)
• 1 teaspoon Salt (To taste)
• 0.5 teaspoon Black Pepper (To taste)
• 4 tablespoons Flour
• 0.5 cup Cream (Optional)
• 0.5 cup Milk (For Southern Style Fried Chicken)

Instructions

1. 1Dress, clean, and truss the chicken. Pat dry with paper towels.
2. 2In a large, deep pan or Dutch oven, try out the salt pork until crisp. Remove the pork scraps and set aside. Add the carrot, onion, thyme, parsley, and bay leaf to the rendered fat. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened.
3. 3Add the butter to the pan and melt. Fry the chicken, turning often, until the surface is well browned on all sides.
4. 4Place the chicken on a trivet in the pan. Pour the fat and vegetables over the chicken. Add the boiling water or chicken stock. Cover the pan and bake in a slow oven (325°F / 160°C) until the chicken is tender, about 1 to 1.5 hours, basting often and adding more water if needed.
5. 5Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside to rest. Strain the stock from the pan, removing the fat. In a saucepan, melt 3 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add 4 tablespoons of flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes to make a roux. Gradually pour in 1.5 cups of the strained stock, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce has thickened, about 5 minutes. Just before serving, stir in 1/2 cup of cream (optional) and season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. 6Carve the chicken and serve with the sauce.