Roast Chicken With Sauerkraut

Name: Roast Chicken With Sauerkraut
Total time: 1 h 40 min
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients: 1 small (4 pound) roasting chicken, trussed; Salt and freshly ground pepper; 2 cups drained, tightly packed sauerkraut (reserve 1/4 cup of juice); 2 tablespoons cooking oil; 3 tablespoons butter; 1 cup chopped onion; 1 clove garlic, minced; 1 bay leaf; 1/2 cup dry vermouth; 1 cup chicken stock; 1 tablespoon cornstarch

By Florence Fabricant

Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Rating: 4(47)
Notes: Read community notes

Featured in: FOOD; SAUERKRAUT ADDS ZEST TO WINTER CASSEROLES

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings

1small (4 pound) roasting chicken, trussed
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2cups drained, tightly packed sauerkraut (reserve ¼ cup of juice)
2tablespoons cooking oil
3tablespoons butter
1cup chopped onion
1clove garlic, minced
1bay leaf
½cup dry vermouth
1cup chicken stock
1tablespoon cornstarch

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Step 1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wipe chicken inside and out and season the cavity with salt and pepper.
Step 2
Rinse the sauerkraut in cold water and drain well.
Step 3
Heat the oil and one tablespoon of butter in a large oven-proof casserole and brown the chicken on all sides. Be careful not to break the skin. Remove the chicken and set aside. Pour off the fat from the casserole.
Step 4
Heat the two tablespoons of butter in the casserole and saute the onion over medium heat until soft. Add the sauerkraut and garlic and cook a few minutes longer. Spread the sauerkraut over the bottom of the casserole and place the chicken on top of it. Put the bay leaf on the chicken, pour the vermouth around the chicken, bring to a simmer, cover and place in oven to roast for one hour.
Step 5
Lift chicken from the casserole, draining any juices from the cavity and rest it on a platter. Using a slotted spoon, drain the sauerkraut from the casserole and spread it around the chicken and cover the platter with foil to keep it warm.
Step 6
Add the chicken stock to casserole and heat juices. Dissolve the cornstarch in the one-quarter cup of cold reserved sauerkraut juice and gradually stir this mixture into the simmering sauce. Season to taste. Pour a little of the sauce over the chicken and pass the rest at the table.

Ratings

4 out of 5

47 user ratings

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

Gary6 years ago

I've cooked all sorts of things with sauerkraut (usually home-made) including port, duck, sausages, etc.. But never have I cooked it with chicken before I tried this recipe. It's delicious! Made it with a free-range chicken from a local farm that wasn't very fatty. Nonetheless, it turned out super-juicy and delectable. Definitely I'll make it again.

Gary6 years ago

I should add that I served this with steamed fingerling potatoes, and the sauce was delicious poured on them.

Walter6 years ago

I love this. So simple and so good. It's the sort of thing I call 'Caveman Gourmet' a dish that's easy to make but delicious. No fuss, no muss, just a wonderful meal. Thank-you so much!

Es5 years ago

Delicious. I screwed up and added the stock with the vermouth before putting it in the oven, and then worried that chicken would be steamed. So, at about 45 minutes the chicken had reached 165, I decided to put it on a platter, put it back in the oven while the oven cooled, and reduce the liquid on the stove before making the sauce. The result couldn't have been tastier. The chicken was perfect and the sauce as good as it gets, which makes me think this is a very forgiving recipe.

sherril4 months ago

Delicious! Added more garlic, some apples, and caraway seeds. Otherwise exactly to the recipe. Very yummy.

doggerelblogger3 years ago

First: do not bother draining the sauerkraut. Second: do not drain the fat from the pot. Third: do not bother with the broth. Cook it all as advised, and make gravy of what’s left in the pot. It’s perfect.

doggerelblogger3 years ago

1. Don’t waste the chicken fat - leave it in the pot 2. If you’re serving four, 2x the sauerkraut 3. Don’t bother with the chicken broth, just make the sauce with the juices & liquid left behind in the pan DELISH!

David4 years ago

This sounds great, and I’ll try it, but cooking the chicken covered, and in liquid, ain’t roasting, at least not the way my mother thought of it.

Es5 years ago

Spark6 years ago

Wonderful! I scaled it way back as I cook for one. I used my little 6" Copco dutch oven. Used 2 onion slices, 1/2 clove garlic, 15-oz can kraut, added 1 tsp cumin (not ground) & layered zucchini slices on top of kraut. I bought a small s/b breast, rolled it up and laid it on the zucchini. No browning. Add the vermouth, cover and bake 30+ min till chicken is done. I skipped steps 5 & 6. No broth, juice or sauce - just the liquid in the casserole was plenty and delicious. Great food.

Leo6 years ago

Instead of wasting the fat that is left from browning the chicken, along with the flavor in it, brown the chicken in half and half butter and olive oil then only pour off any excess before sautéing the onions. Chicken fat is actually healthier than butter.

Walter6 years ago

I love this. So simple and so good. It's the sort of thing I call 'Caveman Gourmet' a dish that's easy to make but delicious. No fuss, no muss, just a wonderful meal. Thank-you so much!

Gary6 years ago

I should add that I served this with steamed fingerling potatoes, and the sauce was delicious poured on them.

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