Peppy Chicken

DV Farm whole chicken (4-5 lbs.)
4 t. kosher salt
2 t. paprika
1/2 t. cayenne pepper

(1/2 teaspoon more if you like a lot of heat)
1 t. onion powder
1 t. thyme
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. ground pepper
1 medium onion

Mix all the spices together in a small bowl. Rub the spice mixture all over your DV Farm chicken. Place into a 9 x 13 inch pan and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 24-30 hours. Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Roughly chop the onion and stuff into the chicken cavity. Bake uncovered for a total of 4-1/2 to 5 hours, basting with pan juices every 30-45 minutes, beginning after the first couple of hours, although you won't have a lot of juice early on. The chicken will caramelize and look dark; don’t worry! Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before carving.

*Farmer's wife's note: Oh, my! This was very, very tasty. Next time I'll make 2 whole chickens at a time! It was excellent served with rice on the side, spooning the extra pan juices over top.

Tasty Chicken and Gravy Sandwich

DV Farm whole chicken
Chicken broth
Cornstarch

Hamburger buns

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cook the whole chicken for 18 minutes per pound, reserving pan juices. Allow to cool. Pull meat off of the bones and cut into bit-sized pieces, or chop finely if you prefer. Place reserved juices in a saucepan, adding chicken broth to equal 1 to 2 cups (the larger amount for making more gravy). Bring to a boil. In the meantime, mix 1 T. cornstarch and 1 T. cold water (add more of each for thicker gravy). Add this to the boiling broth mixture and continue stirring. You've now just made your own gravy! Season with salt and pepper as desired. Mix desired amount of gravy with cut-up chicken. Heat through and serve on bread or buns.

Very simple recipe. Can be heated in the crockpot all day and ready when you get home. Also an excellent dish for potlucks. Everyone loves a tasty home-made chicken sandwich!

Irresistible Oven-Fried Chicken

DV Farm chicken, 4-6 pounds, cut into 8 pieces
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup lard
2 eggs, beaten
6 T. milk
1 cup flour
4 t. salt
4 t. paprika
4 t. pepper

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Melt butter and lard in an 11 x 15 inch pan in hot oven. Mix egg and milk together in a bowl. Mix dry ingredients in a plastic bag. Dip chicken in milk/egg mixture, then shake in bag until coated. Place skin side down in melted butter/lard and bake for 25 minutes. Turn chicken pieces over and bake another 25 minutes, until crisp.

I don’t think "irresistible" even begins to explain how good this chicken is!!! I was a bit surprised by the amount of salt and pepper in the mixture, but go with it – it's amazing! We hijacked this recipe from another farmer that we have followed for years and who basically helped us get started in our pasture-raised farming endeavor. Thanks, Joel!

Zuni Cafe's Roasted Chicken

Definitely one of the BEST chicken recipes in our repertoire! There is a little extra planning time, as you begin the salting/drying process 2 days early, but it is actually quite simple to assemble and oh-so worth it!

One small DV Farm chicken, 2 3/4 to 3 1/2 pounds
4 tender sprigs fresh thyme, marjoram, rosemary or sage, about 1/2 inch long
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 to 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

Step #1: Season the chicken (1 to 3 days before serving; give a 3-1/4 to 3-1/2 pound chicken at least 2 days).

Remove and discard any fat from inside the chicken. Rinse the chicken and pat very dry inside and out. Be thorough — a wet chicken will spend too much time steaming before it begins to turn golden brown.

Approaching from the edge of the cavity, slide a finger under the skin of each of the breasts, making 2 little pockets. Now use the tip of your finger to gently loosen a pocket of skin on the outside of the thickest section of each thigh. Using your finger, shove an herb sprig into each of the 4 pockets.

Season the chicken liberally all over with salt and pepper. Season the thick sections a little more heavily than the skinny ankles and wings. Sprinkle a little of the salt just inside the cavity, on the backbone, but don’t otherwise worry about seasoning the inside. Twist and tuck the wing tips behind the shoulders. Cover loosely and refrigerate.

Step #2: Prepare your oven and pan

Preheat the oven to 475°F. Choose a shallow flameproof roasting pan or dish barely larger than the chicken, or use a 10-inch skillet with an all-metal handle (we used a 12-inch cast iron frying pan for a 3 1/2 pound chicken). Preheat the pan over medium heat. Wipe the chicken dry and set it breast side up in the pan. It should sizzle.

Step #3: Roast the chicken

Place the chicken in the pan in the center of the oven and listen and watch for it to start browning within 20 minutes. If it doesn’t, raise the temperature progressively until it does. The skin should blister, but if the chicken begins to char, or the fat is smoking, reduce temperature by 25 degrees. After about 30 minutes, turn the bird over — drying the bird and preheating the pan should keep the skin from sticking. Roast for another 10 to 20 minutes, depending on size, then flip back over to recrisp the breast skin, another 5 to 10 minutes. Remove chicken from the oven and let rest at least 10 minutes. Very important! The meat will become more tender and uniformly succulent as it cools. Drain the flavorful drippings from the bird and the pan for the delicious juices and/or make a gravy, if desired.

Thanks, Deb, for this awesome recipe!!! Personally, it was soooo good, I would definitely make two small chickens at a time and enjoy the leftovers!

Zippy Grilled BBQ Chicken

DV Farm chicken, cut into 8 pieces

Sauce:
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 can (4 ounces) tomato sauce
1/2 cup corn syrup
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 can (3 ounces) tomato paste
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
3/4 t. garlic powder
3/4 t. ground pepper
1-1/2 t. liquid smoke (optional)
1-1/2 t. prepared mustard
1/2 t. onion salt
1/2 t. celery salt

To prepare the BBQ sauce: In a large saucepan, combine all sauce ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for about 1 hour. Remove from the heat; cool. Yield: 1 quart

To prepare the chicken: Grill on low heat for approx. 35 minutes, keeping the smaller pieces to the side or on the top rack. Brush with plenty of your delicious BBQ sauce!

We have enjoyed this BBQ sauce on all kinds of pork also - JUST AWESOME!!! The boys don't want me to buy the "store-bought stuff" again after tasting this recipe.

Heavenly Chicken

DV Farm chicken, cut into 8 pieces
1-1/2 t. garlic powder
1 cup cornstarch
3-6 eggs
2-4 T. shortening or oil for frying

(although DVF lard would be the best choice!)

Sauce:

2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup vinegar (rice vinegar is the best!)
3/4 T. ketchup
1 T. soy sauce
1/4 cup chicken broth
dash of salt

Sprinkle chicken pieces with garlic powder on both sides. Cover and let stand for 30 minutes in the fridge.

While you're waiting, mix all the sauce ingredients together in a pan and cook over medium-low heat until the mixture comes to a boil, stirring often. Remove from heat and let stand.

Place cornstarch in a bowl or large plastic bag. In another bowl, add the eggs and beat well. In a large skillet, heat 1-2 T. of shortening or oil. When the oil is hot enough to fry in but not so hot it's smoking, it's ready to go. Roll the chicken pieces in the cornstarch first and then dip them in the egg mixture. Place in the frying pan and fry until edges are lightly brown, turning frequently. This may need to be done in a couple of batches, adding more oil to the fry pan as necessary.

Remove chicken pieces to a cookie sheet with a lip on it or in a jelly roll pan. Spoon sauce over all pieces. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes. Halfway through, baste with the sauce in the bottom of the pan. The sauce will thicken and start to caramelize on the chicken pieces. Remove pieces from the pan carefully so the delicious crust is not dislodged.

This can also be made with chicken wings and served alone as an appetizer. By using the rice vinegar, it reminded me of a fabulous dish I had at a Chinese restaurant. If you like a little "heat," add in some red pepper flakes to the sauce ingredients.

Crispy Dijon Chicken

1-2 eggs
2 tsp herb seasoning blend
2 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1-2 cups cornflake crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 DV Farm cut-up chicken

In a shallow bowl, combine eggs, seasoning blend, lemon juice and mustard. In another bowl (or plastic bag) combine the cornflake crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Roll the chicken in egg mixture, then in crumb mixture. Places in a greased baking pan. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for one hour.

Lemon Herb Chicken

1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 cup ketchup
1/2 tsp rosemary leaves
2 tsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp marjoram leaves
2 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp thyme leaves
1/4 tsp salt
4-5 lb. DV Farm chicken (cut up)

5 cups corn cereal (such as Corn Flakes), crushed to 3 cups
Cooking spray

In large mixing bowl (or resealable bag), stir together oil, ketchup, lemon juice, soy sauce, salt, pepper and herbs. Add chicken and coat. Cover or seal and refrigerate several hours.

Remove chicken pieces from marinade and coat with crushed cereal. Place in a single layer, skin side up, in a shallow pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes.

Rosemary, Lemon and Garlic Chicken

DV Farm whole chicken (approx. 4-5 lbs.)
1 lemon, quartered
kosher salt, ground pepper to taste
8 cloves garlic, crushed
4 fresh rosemary sprigs (or dried rosemary)
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 t. ground pepper
1/2 t. salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Rinse the chicken and pat dry. Rub inside and out with the cut sides of the lemon quarters. Then, rub with kosher salt and ground pepper. Place the lemon quarters, 4 of the garlic cloves, and 2 of the rosemary sprigs in the cavity of the chicken. Place, breast side up, in a lightly oiled roasting pan.

Chop the remaining garlic coarsely. Remove the needles from the remaining rosemary sprigs and chop coarsely. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the chopped garlic and rosemary, olive oil, lemon juice, ground pepper and salt. Bring to a simmer and simmer until aromatic, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Roast the chicken for a total of 17-18 minutes per pound, basting with the olive oil mixture every 15 minutes. Remove from oven, cover loosely with foil and let rest for 10-15 minutes.

Chicken Corden Bleu

2 pkg. DV Farm boneless chicken breasts (4 breasts total)
4 thin slices DV Farm deli ham
4 thin slices Swiss cheese
1/2 cup flour
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
3 T. vegetable or olive oil

Flatten each chicken breast to 1/2 to 1/4 inch between waxed paper. Place 1 slice deli ham and 1 slice cheese on each chicken breasts. Roll up carefully, beginning at narrow end. Secure with wooden picks or wrap with cooking string. Mix flour, salt and pepper. Coat rolls with flour mixture. Dip rolls in egg and then roll in bread crumbs.

Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Cook rolls in oil for 10 minutes, turning occasionally, until light brown. Cover and simmer another 8 minutes or until juices run clear. Makes 4 large servings.

To use chicken thighs: Take 2 pkg. DV Farm legs/thighs. Cut leg and thigh apart and set the 4 legs aside to be cooked for another meal. Debone the 4 thighs. Flip thigh over and notice the bone is actually at the surface, so just run your knife under it to remove the bone. As this is a smaller portion of meat, you shouldn't need to flatten. Continue on with next steps of adding ham and Swiss cheese... Decrease your cook time to 8 minutes in oil and 6-8 minutes simmering.

Pictured: Our son added his own twist to the recipe and created a Swiss cheese/herb/cream sauce to go on top.

Orange Glazed Chicken

DV Farm whole chicken (approx. 4-5 lbs.)
1 t. salt
1 t. pepper
1/2 t. thyme
1/2 t. rosemary
1 t. rubbed sage
1 small apple
1 small orange
1 small onion, quartered
1/2 celery rib, cut in half
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup orange marmalade
1/3 cup orange juice
1/2 T. honey

In a small bowl, combine the salt, pepper, thyme, rosemary and sage. Rub 1-1/2 t. of this seasoning mixture in the chicken cavity. Place the fruit, onion and celery in the cavity; tie drumsticks together. Place chicken, breast side up, in a roasting pan. Combine butter and remaining seasoning mixture; brush over chicken. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 17-18 minutes per pound. Meanwhile, combine marmalade, orange juice and honey in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally. Set aside and keep warm. Begin brushing chicken with orange glaze after first 30-45 minutes of cook time. Continue brushing occasionally until chicken is cooked through. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before carving.

Oven-Roasted Whole Chicken

Whole DV Farm chicken (3 1/2 - 5 lbs.)
Potatoes, cut into 1" chunks
Carrots, cut into 1" chunks
Onions, cut into chunks (optional)
Various spices to taste (salt, pepper, thyme, rosemary, parsley, etc.)

Place chicken, breast side up, in large shallow pan or roasting pan. If desired, spray or brush with olive oil and spinkle with kosher or table salt. Place cut-up vegetables around chicken. Add 1/2 - 3/4 cup water to prevent sticking and to help the vegetables become tender. Sprinkle spices on bird and vegetables. Cover and bake at 350° for 1 hour and 20 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes (about 17-18 minutes per pound). During the last 1/2 hour, remove cover to get a nice brown skin. Remove from the oven and let stand at least 10 minutes before carving to allow juices to distribute evenly throughout the bird. If gravy is desired, drain juices into a saucepan and bring to a boil; mix 1 tbsp cold water with 1 tbsp corn starch and add to boiling juices, stirring frequently until thickened.

This is one of the easiest and best ways to prepare a DV Farm chicken. Because there are no sauces nor breading, the flavor of the chicken really stands out. The skin is lightly brown and crisp whereas the meat is tender and juicy. Yum, yum!

Creamy Chicken Veggie Soup with Wild Rice

1/2 DV Farm chicken (legs, thighs and wings – keep breasts for another recipe)
4 cups water
2 chicken bouillon cubes
Poultry seasoning
1 cup wild rice
3 T. butter
3 T. flour
1 c. diced carrots
1 c. chopped celery
1/4 c. chopped onion
1 c. cream or half-and-half

Cook chicken in water with bouillon cubes and poultry seasoning. In another pot, cook wild rice according to package directions. Let cooked chicken cool; remove from bones and cut into bite-sized pieces. Skim fat from chicken stock. Make a roux by melting butter over medium heat and stirring in flour. Cook until smooth and bubbly. Remove from heat and gradually stir in the chicken stock. Return to heat and cook until mixture boils. Stir continually one minute longer. Add carrots, celery and onion. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add cream and stir until warmed. Add rice until warmed. Do not boil.

This is a delicious recipe that was shared with us by one of our customers. I have personally used a whole chicken and doubled all of the ingredients to make a big batch of soup!

Mother's Day Herb-Roasted Chicken

DV Farm whole chicken, 4-6 pounds
1-2 teaspoons minced garlic (1-2 cloves)
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon good olive oil
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup dry white wine

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the chicken, breast side up, in a roast pan or 9 x 13 glass pan.

In a small bowl, combine the garlic, mustard, herbs, salt, pepper, olive oil, and lemon juice to make a paste. Loosen the skin from the meat gently with your fingers and smear half of the paste directly on the meat. Spread the remaining paste evenly on the skin. Pour the wine into the bottom of the roasting pan.

Roast the chicken for approx. 17 minutes per pound, until the skin is golden brown. When the chicken is done, cover with foil and allow it to rest at room temperature for 10 minutes. Slice and serve with the pan juices spooned over.

A customer of ours shared this delicious recipe, and I dubbed it "Mother's Day Herb-Roasted Chicken." For Mother's Day 2012, my wonderful men built me an herb garden. When I saw this recipe used fresh herbs--and I had every one of them in my new garden--I had to give it a try. It was just delicious!!!

Perfect Chicken Stock

DV Farm whole chicken or parts (such as legs/thighs) or just leftover bones and skin
Cold water
Vinegar

Place chicken/bones in large stockpot, cover with cold tap water. Add a small amount of white vinegar, approximately 2-3 teaspoons per gallon of water. Allow this to sit, without heating, for at least an hour. The vinegar helps to extract all of the wonderful nutrients from the bones. Once the water is heated, the pores of the bones close up and don't release quite as much goodness. If you choose, go ahead and add some cut-up carrots, celery, onions, parsnips, etc., to add flavor and nutrients. After the resting period, cover and bring your stockpot to a boil. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer. If using a whole chicken or just the parts, remove the meat once fully cooked, in approximately 1 to 2 hours. Set the meat aside for a separate use. Return bones and skin back to the stockpot and continue simmering for as long as you would like, even up to 24-48 hours! Okay, I've never gone that long, but a good 4-6 hours will give you an amazing mineral-rich stock. Once your simmering is finished, allow to cool slightly and then strain your stock, throwing out all of the bones and skin that have left their wonderful nutrients in your pot. At this point, I like to cool the stock and then place in the refrigerator to allow the fat to coagulate at the top; then skim the fat. You should now have a beautiful gelatinous stock! Use for your favorite recipes, easily dividing into 1-cup or 4-cup, etc., freezer bags and having it readily on hand. Can be frozen for months and months.

Maple Sage Chicken Breasts

2 DV Farm bone-in chicken breasts

1 T. kosher salt

1 t. rubbed sage

1/8 t. pumpkin pie spice

1/8 t. ground black pepper

1/8 t. garlic powder

1-1/2 T. maple syrup

To make dry rub: Combine the salt, sage, pumpkin pie spice, pepper and garlic powder. Add the maple syrup and stir well. It should look like wet sand. Place the chicken breasts in a 9x9 or 9x13 baking pan and rub the mixture on the skin and sides of the 2 breasts. Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 12 hours.

To roast, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Take pan of chicken breasts out of fridge and place into oven. Bake uncovered for 50 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest at least 5 minutes. Carve the breast meat off the bone and then slice.

WOW – was this delicious!!! Next time I make it, I will add some celery and/or onions to the bottom of the pan for a little moisture down there, as the pan was pretty dry when it was done cooking. I figured out why—the chicken breasts held all of the juices and was so soooo tender and flavorful!