From Grandma Loy's Kitchen: Ingredient Spotlight-Stovetop Rotisserie Chicken

The Ingredient Spotlight today over at Eat at Home is cooked chicken or turkey. If I have roasted a chicken or a turkey, I do usually have left overs to use up. Sometimes, however, I want to make a recipe that calls for cooked chicken or turkey, and I don't have any on hand. So, occasionally, I make cooked chicken just to store in the freezer for such a time.

I like the flavor of store bought rotisserie chicken but not the price or the fact that they are usually small so don't yield much meat. I have been experimenting with trying to make rotisserie flavored cooked chicken on the stove top.

I have a recipe for Simmered Chinese Chicken in which the chicken is cooked in a flavored sauce that infuses the chicken with a slightly teriyaki flavor. I wondered if doing somewhat the same thing using rotisserie seasoning would infuse a bit more flavor into the chicken. So this is what I tried, and I did end up with lots of cooked chicken meat with more flavor and several cups of really flavorful broth.

This same method could be used with chicken breasts or thighs. Just adjust the time cook for only 20 to 30 minutes.

Stovetop Rotisserie Chicken
1 whole chicken (4 to 5 lbs. is the size I like to use)
1 t. salt
1 t. paprika
1/2 t. onion powder
1/2 t. thyme
1/2 t. garlic powder
14 to 1/2 t. coarse ground black pepper
1 –2 T. olive oil
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
2 ribs celery, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 peeled carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 clove garlic, sliced
2 bay leaves
1 qt. water

Combine salt, paprika, onion powder , thyme, garlic powder and pepper. Mix well and rub on all surfaces of the chicken and also inside the cavity. Heat olive oil (you want enough to cover the bottom) in a Dutch oven over medium heat. When hot, add chicken and brown 3 to 4 minutes on all sides. You may have to hold the chicken up with a meat fork to brown on the wing sides. When chicken has browned add onion, celery, carrots, garlic and bay leaves. Pour water over everything. Bring to a boil and turn down to a simmer. Simmer 1 to 1 1/2 hours until chicken is tender, turning chicken over several time so all sides cook in the liquid. Remove chicken and set aside to cool. Pour liquid through a strainer and place in a container in the refrigerator to cool. When chicken is cool enough to handle, remove skin and bones. To freeze chicken divide into recipe amounts and put in freezer bags. Remove fat from broth. Rewarm broth to pouring consistency, if necessary. Pour 1 cup of broth over the chicken in the freezer bags. I usually get about 6 cups cooked chicken and 3 cups of broth when I make this.