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Clay Pot Chicken: A Summer Favorite for Outdoor Cooking
Cooking clay pot chicken rice might sound like a challenge at first, but once you try it, you’ll see just how easy and rewarding it really is. This is one of those recipes that brings together everything I love about summer: grilling, barbecue, and the kind of outdoor cooking that fills the air with the smell of herbs, garlic, and woodsmoke. The chicken turns out incredibly juicy and tender, infused with rosemary, thyme, and smoky paprika. Nestled into a bed of fluffy rice with mushrooms, onions, and ginger, it’s the kind of meal that feels like a reward at the end of a slow day.
If you’re new to clay pot cooking, don’t worry. It’s more forgiving than you might think, and the results are absolutely worth it. The flavor that develops when everything cooks slowly in one pot – sealed in with steam, broth, and spices – is rich, deep, and unlike anything you get with a regular pan or baking dish. This clay pot chicken recipe has quickly become one of my summer go-to meals. It’s comforting and special all at once, and it feels just right whether you’re cooking for a quiet evening at home or for a few friends around the fire.
See how to make the recipe in this video.
Why Cook with a Clay Pot?
There’s something magical about a clay pot. It holds onto heat differently than metal or enamel. Instead of blasting the food with direct heat, it surrounds it, slowly building warmth and moisture from all sides. That’s part of what makes this chicken so juicy; the clay pot creates a mini oven within the pot, holding in steam while allowing the top to gently brown.
To get the best results, you do need to soak your clay pot before you cook. I recommend soaking it for at least 30 minutes in cold water. This helps prevent the pot from cracking under sudden temperature changes and helps build up gentle, moist heat once it’s over the fire.
You also need a heat diffuser. Clay doesn’t like direct flames, and a diffuser helps spread the heat evenly while protecting the pot. I use a cast iron pizza pan for this. It’s durable, distributes heat beautifully, and gives you a safe, even surface to rest your pot on, whether you’re grilling outside or baking indoors. This is the diffuser I use and recommend.
And for the clay pot itself, I use one very similar to this model. It’s sturdy, beautiful, and just the right size for this recipe.
Juicy clay pot chicken, savory rice, and outdoor cooking. To me, summer doesn’t get better than this.
How to Cook It Outdoors
If you’ve got a grill and a quiet evening ahead of you, this is the recipe to make. Set your grill up for indirect heat. You’ll place the clay pot on top of the diffuser, then let it cook low and slow with the lid on. It takes about an hour and twenty minutes for everything to come together, and during that time, the rice absorbs the stock and the chicken juices, the mushrooms release their flavor, and the onions mellow and sweeten into the grain.
It’s hands-off but incredibly satisfying. You can sit nearby with a drink, tend to the garden, or just watch the sun shift while your meal gently cooks in the background. That’s the rhythm of this dish. It’s not a rush. It’s a reward.
What If You’re Cooking Indoors?
If the weather’s not ideal or you just don’t feel like lighting up the grill, you can still make this indoors. Soak your clay pot and use the same heat diffuser setup, placing it on the middle rack in a cold oven. Once in there, heat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Letting the clay pot heat up slowly makes sure it doesn’t crack.
The cooking time is roughly the same, about 1 hour and 20 minutes. It’s just as good in the oven, and the aroma that fills your kitchen is a bonus.
Don’t Skip the Stock
One of the most important ingredients in this recipe is the stock. I can’t say this enough: homemade stock makes a huge difference. You want a stock that’s rich in flavor and full of depth, because it’s what the rice is going to drink up for over an hour.
I always keep a few jars of homemade chicken, duck, or beef stock in the freezer. They’re the backbone of so many of my recipes, and they truly elevate simple dishes. In the recipe post below, I teach how to make three of my basic stocks that you can batch and freeze.
If you don’t have homemade stock, you can use a high-quality store-bought one, but try to go for something low in sodium so that you can adjust the seasoning yourself.
Mushrooms, Carrots, and More
I love using a mix of cremini and oyster mushrooms in this dish. Creminis bring a deep earthiness, and oyster mushrooms are soft and almost floral when cooked. That said, you can absolutely use whichever mushrooms you have on hand. Button mushrooms work fine, and shiitakes would be wonderful too if you want a more umami-forward taste.
And then there are the carrots. These are more than just a side. They’re a little sweet, a little tangy, and buttery in the best way. I cook them down with orange juice, rosemary, and honey until the glaze is glossy and the carrots are just soft enough but with a bite. The brightness balances the richness of the rice and chicken.
You can serve this dish on its own or round it out with a few extras. Grilled corn on the cob is perfect for summer, or you can toss together a quick green salad for something fresh and crisp on the side. Either way, the clay pot chicken is the star.
A Meal Worth Making Again and Again
One of the things I love most about this dish is how well it brings everything together in one pot. It’s rustic, it’s generous, and it feels like a celebration of whatever season you’re in. It’s ideal for summer, yes, but I’ve made it in autumn with root vegetables or even in winter when I want something cozy and slow. The leftovers are also amazing. That’s the beauty of a dish like this: it doesn’t just stop at dinner.
If you’ve never cooked with a clay pot before, let this be your first try. I promise you it’s worth it. From the golden grilled chicken to the fragrant rice soaked in stock and herbs, every bite feels like it came out of somewhere slow and thoughtful. It’s the kind of food that makes people pause at the table, smile, and go back for seconds.
Discover how to make flavorful clay pot chicken with rice – perfect for grilling, barbecue, or even indoor cooking. Juicy, tender chicken, rich stock, and summer herbs come together in one easy, delicious recipe.
Total Time:2 hours
Yield:4 portions 1x
Ingredients
Scale
1 whole chicken
5 tbsp cooking oil
5 sprigs thyme, stalks removed
5 sprigs rosemary, chopped
2 teaspoons paprika
4 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 spring onions, chopped
3 garlic cloves
2 tbsp ginger, chopped
400 g (14 oz) mushrooms, sliced (any type you like)
Cut the chicken into 4 pieces (thighs and breasts). Add salt, black pepper, cooking oil, thyme, 3 sprigs of rosemary, and paprika. Mix well to coat the chicken evenly.
Grill the chicken over medium heat until golden brown on all sides. Set aside.
In a frying pan, heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil and fry the mushrooms until they develop some color. Season with salt and black pepper.
Add half of the chopped onion to the mushrooms and continue frying for a few minutes.
Add the soy sauce and balsamic vinegar. Let simmer for a few minutes, then add the chopped ginger. Simmer for a few more minutes and set aside.
In a clay pot, add the basmati rice. Sprinkle the remaining half of the chopped onion, spring onions, and whole garlic cloves on top. Season with salt and pour in the white wine.
Place the grilled chicken pieces on top of the rice and aromatics. Pour over the chicken stock and water. Spoon the mushroom mixture over everything.
Cover the clay pot with its lid and place it on a heat diffuser. Set it on the grill and let cook gently for about 1 hour and 20 minutes.
While the chicken and rice cook, melt the butter in a frying pan. Add the remaining 2 sprigs of rosemary and the halved carrots. Pour in the orange juice and honey.
Let the carrots simmer until they have softened slightly and the orange juice has thickened into a glossy glaze.
Serve the clay pot chicken and rice with the glazed carrots on the side. Enjoy!
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