Chicken Baked in a Jar in Its Own Juices

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   How do you make chicken baked in a jar in its own juices? First, gather all your ingredients. If your bird is frozen, thaw it at room temperature first. If it's fresh, pluck it, remove the innards, and singe off any leftover down. Rinse the chicken and pat it dry with paper towels.

2. Step 2:

   

   Cut the chicken into small serving pieces.

3. Step 3:

   

   Season the meat with salt and ground pepper to taste. I also added a little ground smoked paprika (to give the chicken a richer color) and 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil.

4. Step 4:

   

   Mix everything thoroughly, then transfer the pieces to a food container or a zip-top bag to marinate. Refrigerate for at least an hour, up to a full day — the longer the chicken marinates, the tastier the dish.

5. Step 5:

   

   Peel the onion and garlic. Rinse and pat them dry.

6. Step 6:

   

   Cut the onion into thin half-moons or rings. Leave the garlic cloves whole or cut them lengthwise into 2–4 pieces. Adjust the amount of garlic to taste.

7. Step 7:

   

   Wash the jar and dry it with a towel — the jar must be dry, this is very important. Lay some onion rings on the bottom, along with a bay leaf, a few peppercorns, and a little garlic. For extra aroma, you can add a sprig of parsley, dill, or basil.

8. Step 8:

   

   Add a single layer of chicken.

9. Step 9:

   

   Then repeat the layer with onion, pepper, garlic, and herbs.

10. Step 10:

    

    Follow with another layer of chicken, and keep going until you run out of ingredients. Finish with a few rings of onion and some garlic on top.

11. Step 11:

    

    Build a foil lid over the top of the jar.

12. Step 12:

    

    Use a toothpick to poke several holes in the foil.

13. Step 13:

    

    Place the jar in a cold oven — if you put it into a preheated oven, it may crack. Set the temperature to 350–400°F (180–200°C) and bake for one hour.

14. Step 14:

    

    When it's done, turn off the oven and crack the door open so the jar cools down gradually.

15. Step 15:

    

    Once the jar has cooled slightly, take it out of the oven — be careful not to burn yourself!

16. Step 16:

    

    Serve the chicken hot as a main dish, garnished with fresh herbs.