Pomegranate Molasses

Braised Whole Lemony Chicken with Garlic and Fresh Herbs Pressure Cooker

Braised Whole Lemony Chicken With Garlic And Fresh Herbs Pressure Cooker

Ingredients

SERVES 4 or makes 6 to 8 cups shredded or chopped chicken – Cooker: 5- to 8-quart – Time: 20 minutes at HIGH pressure

• 1 (3½- to 4-pound) chicken
• 5 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh flatleaf parsley
• ½ teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
• ½ teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika
• ½ teaspoon mixed dried herbs or salt-free herb blend
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black or white pepper
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced
• 4 sprigs fresh flatleaf parsley
• 2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 3 to 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, to taste
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon water, for gravy, or 1 (1.8-ounce) package chicken gravy mix (optional)

Method

1. Rinse the chicken
2. Remove the bag of giblets
3. Pull off and discard any large lumps of fat from inside the cavity or around the neck
4. Rinse and dry inside and out with paper towels
5. Mash 3 cloves of the garlic with the minced oregano, parsley, and rosemary
6. Stir in the paprika, herb blend, and pepper
7. Rub the outside of the chicken with the mixture
8. Place the remaining 2 cloves garlic in the cavity along with half the lemon slices and the parsley sprigs
9. Coat the inside of a 5- to 7-quart pressure cooker with olive oil spray
10. Place the chicken in the cooker, breast side up, and add the broth
11. Arrange the remaining lemon slices on top of the chicken
12. Close and lock the lid
13. Set the burner heat to high
14. When the cooker reaches HIGH pressure, reduce the burner heat as low as you can and still maintain HIGH pressure
15. Set a timer to cook for 20 minutes
16. Remove the pot from the heat; let stand for 10 minutes
17. Open the cooker with the Quick Release method
18. Be careful of the steam as you remove the lid
19. Insert a sturdy wooden spoon into the cavity of the chicken and, guiding with metal tongs, carefully lift it so it won’t fall apart, tilting it so that the broth runs out of the cavity into the pot
20. Place on a platter and check the internal temperature at the thigh with an instant-read thermometer; it should be about 165° F
21. The juices should run clear when the thigh is pierced with a fork
22. Pour the lemon juice over the chicken, cover with foil, and let stand 10 minutes
23. Pour the cooking liquid into a measuring cup and skim off any fat
24. Return the broth to the pot; bring to a boil
25. You can serve the chicken with just this broth or thicken it with the cornstarch slurry or add the chicken gravy mix; if making gravy, whisk for 2 minutes until it thickens
26. Carve the chicken into serving pieces and serve with the jus or gravy
27. Refrigerate any leftover chicken or broth in an airtight container up to 2 days or freeze up to 2 months; store chicken and broth separately