Fall-Apart Dutch Oven Chicken

Fall-Apart Dutch Oven Chicken is nothing short of amazing! When you slow cook chicken in a Dutch oven, it becomes incredibly succulent, juicy and as tender as-can-be. With a handful of warming spices, it's delicious on its own and in dozens of other recipes.

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Tough cuts of meat are cooked for hours on end, at a low temperature, in order to create super juicy, "fall apart" results.

Did you know you can also do that with chicken!?

It’s one of my favorite things to do — my Slow-Cooked Brisket Stew and Brined Pulled Pork recipes are perfect examples.

I love slow cooking of all sorts. Especially when whatever I’m slowly cooking, slowly and continuously permeates through my house — and sometimes the neighborhood, with its delicious aroma.

What is Fall-Apart Chicken?

Fall-Apart Chicken is a whole chicken that is slow-cooked at a very low temperature in a covered Dutch Oven, that cooks until it actually falls apart.

Just a Few Ingredients

• whole chicken - If you can swing it, buying a pasture-raised chicken is best. In my humble opinion. 😉 There ethical and health benefits. (You can learn more about them in this article: Pasture Raised Chicken vs. Conventional, Free Range & Organic. (Not sponsored.)
• Kosher salt - If you use table salt, be sure to use half of the amount.
• ground cinnamon, cloves and star anise - You can get ground star anise here and in many grocery stores. You can also grind whole star anise in a spice grinder. You can use Chinese Five Spice to substitute all three of the spices. If you do, use 2 ½ teaspoons.
• neutral oil - There is only a touch of oil in the recipe -- a bit for the bottom of the Dutch Oven, and a bit for the outside of the chicken. I use avocado oil. Vegetable is okay, too.

These warming spices -- cinnamon, cloves and star anise -- make the flavor of this chicken deliciously unique. Wait until you taste the juices left in the Dutch Oven after these spices have made their way in.

How to Make it

- Preheat the oven to 250°F and combine the salt, cinnamon, cloves and star anise.

- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Gently loosen the skin, and sprinkle all but about ½ teaspoon of the spice mixture under it, all over. Use your fingers to rub it in. Then sprinkle the rest on top of the skin, along with the oil and gently rub that in as well.

Recipe Tip: It's trickier to get under the skin on the back of the chicken. Do the best you can, but you think it'll tear a lot, it's better to leave it intact and focus where it's easier.

- Place the seasoned chicken in an approximately 4 to 5 quart Dutch oven, breast side down.

Pro Tip: Whenever cooking a whole chicken (or turkey), it's always best to place it breast side down. This will ensure that all the juices flow down into the breasts, where it's the thickest.

- Cover and place and place the Dutch Oven in the preheated oven. Let it cook until it literally falls apart when you try to lift any part of it, about 4 ½ hours. (The chicken should cook for a little more than 1 hour per pound. It will be cooked through after about 1 hour, but you must keep going . . . and going, to get the best results.)

Recipe Tip: Do not set the oven for higher than 250°F to try to speed up the process. The whole point is to cook the chicken slow and low. This is how to get the best and most delicious results.

Above left: My mom's Dutch Oven she bought in the 60s (chicken inside). Above right: The chicken after about 3 hours of the cooking time. You can see all of the juices at the bottom, and where the some of the bones are beginning to poke through the skin.

- Take off the the lid, and let it sit until it’s cool enough to handle.

- Remove the skin — it should come right off, and then use your hands or a fork to help the chicken fall apart. This should happen pretty effortlessly just by picking up the legs. You can leave it in large pieces or shred it into bite-sized pieces.

Above left: The chicken falling off of the bones. Above right: This is what's left after the whole chicken falls apart. Do you see how clean the bones are? That's a clue that you've done everything correctly.

- Once the chicken has been removed from all of the bones, drizzle it with some of the juices.

Recipe Tip: Save any remaining juice form the Dutch Oven and once it cools completely, refrigerate it in a tightly sealed container overnight. The next day, use a spoon to skim the fat off the top. Then you can use it for rice, soup, etc.

(More detailed instructions are in the recipe card below.)

*As with many Dutch oven recipes that cook for a while, the active work time is short. In this recipe, it's truly only about 10 minutes, then you can go about your business while it does its thing in the oven. Easy!

Variations

• The warming spices add a lot of flavor and make the chicken interesting, but you'll still get the same fall-apart texture without them. I wouldn't recommend skipping the salt, though.
• Other spices are delicious with this chicken, too. Try it with smoked paprika!
• Fresh herbs also impart lovely flavors. You can slip fresh thyme, rosemary, sage, oregano or marjoram leaves under the skin.
• If you'd like to add lemon juice, do so after the chicken is cooked.

Serving Suggestions

Not only is fall-apart chicken fantastic on its own, but it's ideal to have on hand for other recipes and uses. Below are some ideas for what you can add it to:

• tacos, burritos, quesadillas, and nachos - Add it to a tasty Mango and Chipotle Quesadilla to make it extra hearty.
• soups and stews - My family loves when I add it to our favorite Tuscan-Style White Bean Stew or Creamy Wild Rice Soup.
• stir-fries - Almost any stir-fry would welcome tender shredded pieces of chicken.
• pizza - It makes for a great pizza topping -- I especially like combining it with mushrooms and spinach.
• casseroles - Fall-apart chicken is excellent in baked pasta casseroles, like lasagna.
• savory pies - You can use it my Gluten-Free Chicken Pot Pie.
• rice recipes - It's amazing mixed into Cilantro Coconut Rice, and in Spicy Miso Fried Rice.
• pasta - It's a great addition to Pappardelle Garlic Pasta and really great for using in Poblano Pasta recipe.
• wraps and sandwiches - A couple of readers have told me they use it in Bahn Mi sandwiches, which sounds amazing.
• salads - When I have it on hand I use it in this Cobb Salad with Shredded Chicken.

Making it Ahead and Storage

The chicken will keep well for up to 5 days in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator. If you want to freeze it, wrapped very well, it should keep well for 3 to 4 months.

This Fall-Apart Dutch Oven Chicken recipe is really unbelievable! It's so over-the-top juicy, succulent and flavorful.

More Must-Try Chicken Recipes

• Chicken Roulade with Sun-Dried Tomato and Basil
• Roasted Chicken with Apple and Bacon
• Skillet Chicken with Sweet Potato Sauce
• Grilled Chicken Sandwich with Honey-Mustard
• Caprese Chicken with Spinach

Enjoy every last bite!

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