How to Roast a Heritage Chicken

How to Roast a Heritage Chicken

by Yadidya Greenberg in Chosen Recipes

Download Full Recipe

Prep Time: 5 Minutes

Cook Time: 30-90 Min

Serves: 2-4 per chicken

When it comes to heritage chicken, simple is best. Ditch the powders, spice blends, sauces, and condiments—a good piece of meat needs three things: salt, pepper, and fat. This recipe highlights the incredible chicken flavor that leaves our customers saying, “I feel like I just ate real chicken for the first time.”

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Place the chicken in a roasting pan and coat it with fat or oil, making sure to cover the entire bird. Sprinkle lightly with salt (kosher meat is pre-salted, so use sparingly) and pepper.
  2. Roast whole birds for 12–15 minutes per lb. Raise oven temp to 475°F and brown for another 20–30 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before carving.
  3. Serve and enjoy chicken like never before!

Timing for Part

  • Legs: Roast 20–30 minutes at 375°F, then brown at 475°F for 20–30 minutes.
  • Bone-in Breasts: Roast 10 minutes at 375°F, then brown at 475°F for 20–30 minutes.
  • Whole Cut-Ups: Start with the Legs and thighs. Add breast and wings for the final 10 minutes at 375°F, then brown at 475°F for 20–30 minutes.

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How to Roast a Heritage Turkey

How to Roast a Heritage Turkey

The recipe below only outlines the recommended roasting method for our heritage turkeys. For full details—including required equipment, gravy recipe, and more—download our full Heritage Turkey Insert. Prep Time: 30 Minutes Cook Time: 10-15 min per lb Serves: ~1lb of raw bone-in turkey per person   Ingredients One whole “Chosen Turkey” - Patted dry, trussed Shmaltz or Olive Oil Salt & Pepper to taste Fresh Herbs (optional)  Cooking Instructions: Preheat the oven to 325°F. Check the bird’s cavity for the neck and giblets, and remove them if present. Place the turkey on the rack of a roasting pan and pat it dry with a paper towel before trussing the legs. Rub the bird all over with schmaltz or oil. Season with salt, pepper, and herbs if using. The neck can be cooked either inside or outside the bird, or reserved for making poultry soup or stock. Giblets should not be roasted dry; instead, reserve them for soup/stock or cook them in the bottom of the pan with the drippings. Pour about an inch of water into the bottom of the roasting pan to prevent the drippings from burning. Be sure to check and maintain the liquid level throughout cooking. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the breast. Roast the turkey at 325°F, basting every 30 minutes. Depending on your oven, you may need to rotate the bird halfway through for even cooking. The turkey is done when the breast reaches 165°F. While we recommend relying on internal temperature rather than time, a general guideline is 10–15 minutes per pound at 325°F. Let the turkey rest for 20–30 minutes before carving to allow the juices to redistribute. Serve and enjoy!

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The Chosen Chicken Soup

The Chosen Chicken Soup

Download Full Recipe Prep Time: 30-60 Minutes Cook Time: 2-8 Hours Serves: 4-8+ people   Back in the day everyone knew that the key to a great chicken soup was using an older bird. Heritage broilers and fryers are 2-3 times the age of today’s industrial chickens and our Stewing Fowl are 10-20+ times older. This, along with our outstanding genetics adds heaps of flavor while their well-developed meat can stand up to the long cooking process a soup requires. This is why our chickens will make a great broth that’s more flavorful and delicious than any other. The Chosen Poultry Stock For the richest possible soup, we recommend adding stock, a concentrated broth using both bones and feet to develop a taste that’s even better. Along with the flavor, the collagen and gelatin that breaks down while cooking delivers incredible health-promoting nutrients. IngredientsChicken/Turkey Bones• 4 lbs Heritage Chicken or Turkey Bones or Heritage Turkey Wings• 2 lbs Heritage Chicken Feet• 2 lbs Heritage Chicken or Turkey Necks• 2 gallons waterMirepoix• 2 large onions (halved with skin on)• 2 large carrots (halved with skin on)• 4 stalks celery (halved with leaves on)Aromatics• Black pepper• Bay leaves• Parsley stems Cooking InstructionsAdd bones, feet, and necks to an 8 qt stockpot. Cover bones with water and gently bring to a simmer. Allow stock to lightly simmer for 30-60 minutes, skimming impurities and fat as necessary. Add carrot, celery, and onion as well as aromatics to the stock and fill the rest of the way with water. Cover and allow to simmer for 4-8 hours. Do not allow stock to come to a boil as this can result in a cloudy broth. Strain stock through a mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth and cool immediately. The Chosen Chicken Soup Ingredients• 3–4 lbs of Heritage Chicken — whole birds, drums, thighs, or leg quarters  ◦ Add 1–2 lbs of chicken or turkey bones, neck, or wings  ◦ Or use 3–4 lbs of Heritage Stew Fowl Chicken without added bones• 1 qt heritage poultry stock (optional)• 2–3 Heritage Chicken Feet (recommended)• 2 large carrots (peeled and chopped)• 2 onions (quartered)• 4 stalks celery (chopped)• salt & pepper to taste• Chicken or Turkey Gizzards (optional) Cooking InstructionsWhen Using Heritage Chicken – Place all meat, bones, and feet in a soup pot and cover with water. Bring to a simmer, skimming surface regularly. Add all other ingredients, cover pot, and allow to simmer lightly for about 1.5–3 hours. When Using Heritage Stewing Fowl – Place your fowl and feet in a soup pot and cover with water. Bring to a low simmer and skim surface regularly for 2–3 hours. Once the chicken begins to soften, add the rest of the ingredients, cover, and cook for another 1–5 hours. Cooking times can vary greatly with Stewing Fowl, depending on size and age. If the bird is at all tough, keep cooking. The meat should be tender and falling off the bone when fully cooked.

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