Clay pot chicken marinated with citrus
- Gluten Free
- Lactose Free
- Energy Kcal 491
- Carbohydrates g 23.6
- of which sugars g 23.5
- Protein g 37.8
- Fats g 27.2
- of which saturated fat g 7.32
- Fiber g 3.1
- Cholesterol mg 179
- Sodium mg 957
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Prep time: 20 min
- Cook time: 2 h
- Serving: 4
- Cost: Very low
- Note + the time for marinating the chicken
PRESENTATION
Pollo in coccio is a classic Italian dish that really, really brings out the best in chicken. Especially if you love those bright, tender flavors from a fantastic marinade. Across the Mediterranean—think Campania and Sicily—people are super into making pollo marinato agli agrumi. And you know what? This dish is all about a brilliant blend of citrus, like sweet orange and lemon juice, mixed with aromatic spices. They smell amazing as they cook. Imagine rosemary, paprika, and just a hint of nutmeg soaking into the chicken. Plus, plenty of pepper for a little kick.
When you use a terracotta pot, or coccio, the chicken absorbs all those juicy flavors. It gets extra moist from the slow, gentle heat—pretty much perfect. That coccio isn’t just for show; it really locks in that rustic taste and aroma, making it feel like a trip to the Italian countryside. Seriously good.
What makes this ricetta pollo agli agrumi shine is the crispy, caramelized citrus slices on top. They offer a pop of tangy and golden color when you serve it. Folks around there often go for this style when they want something more exciting than your usual pollo al limone. Or even regular roasted chicken.
The cottura lenta (slow-cooking) method ensures every bite is super, super tender and full of citrusy goodness. You get a hit of pollo saporito—not just juicy chicken but real flavor. Bright and kinda rustic. It’s the kind of meal that feels special, yet totally relaxed. With the aroma filling your kitchen and everyone eager to eat, it's a win.
If you’re into dishes where the marinade does the heavy lifting, this pollo in coccio is a must-try. Especially if you want to serve something different and seriously delicious. No question. It’s a nod to the best Italian kitchen traditions, delivering taste that's unique and deeply satisfying. Ideal for any occasion where you want to impress with minimal effort. So, gather your ingredients and let this dish transport you to a beautiful Italian setting right from your kitchen! **Enjoy!
INGREDIENTS
- Ingredients for the marinade
- Chicken 2.2 lbs (1 kg)
- Orange juice ¾ cup (200 ml)
- Lemon juice ½ cup (100 g)
- Rosemary 1 sprig
- Ground black pepper to taste
- Paprika to taste
- Nutmeg to taste
- Fine salt 1 pinch
- Oranges 1
- Lemons 1
- for cooking
- Extra virgin olive oil 2 tbsp (30 ml)
- Vegetable broth 1 cup (250 ml)
- Shallot 1
- Fine salt 1 pinch
- Black pepper 1 pinch
- for caramelizing
- Sugar ¼ cup (50 g)
- Orange juice 1.7 oz (50 ml)
How to prepare Clay pot chicken marinated with citrus
To prepare the clay pot chicken marinated with citrus, first start with the chicken: with a knife, cut it in half 1, first cut the wings, the thighs 2, dividing it into 4 parts 3.
Place the cut chicken in a baking dish and add the flavors: chopped rosemary leaves, whole black peppercorns 4, paprika 5, and grated nutmeg 6.
Season with salt 7. Then squeeze the lemons 8 and the oranges 9.
Filter the juice you have obtained with a fine sieve 10 and add it to the baking dish 11. Take 1 whole orange and 1 whole lemon, remove the ends. Slice them with the peel, then cut each slice in half 12; add the citrus slices to the baking dish, ensuring all parts are flavored.
Marinate for at least 12 hours in the refrigerator, covering with plastic wrap 13. After 12 hours, put a pot with plenty of salted water on the stove, which you will use to prepare the Vegetable broth. Then finely chop the shallot 14 and sauté it with oil over low heat in a thick-bottomed pot 15.
Meanwhile, take the chicken and with kitchen tongs remove the citrus slices, keeping them aside along with the marinade liquid 16. When the shallot is sautéed, place the chicken in the pot, cooking it for about 2-3 minutes over medium heat on both sides and then pour in the citrus and spice juice you have saved 17. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then add all the filtered vegetable broth 18.
Cover with a lid, allowing it to cook slowly over very low heat for 2 hours 19. In the meantime, you can prepare the caramelized fruit: melt the granulated sugar in a non-stick pan 20 and then add the oranges and lemons you have set aside 21.
Pour 50 ml of orange juice 22 and let it caramelize for 5-6 minutes, turning the slices with a spatula 23; if you see that the fruit and sugar dry out too much, you can add a little water 24.
When the fruit is caramelized 25, turn off the heat and set aside. After 2 hours, once the chicken is well cooked 26, transfer it along with the cooking liquid to a clay pot, decorate as desired with the caramelized lemons and oranges, and finally enjoy the clay pot chicken marinated with citrus 27.