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Clay Pot Chicken and Other Clay Cooking Recipes From Around the World

If you have arrived here, you must be someone who is aware of the distinct deliciousness of food cooked in clay and are perhaps looking for more recipes and information on this amazing cooking method. Maybe you tried a claypot chicken dish at a friend’s party, or bread made in a clay oven…

Whatever be the case, we have some delicious recipes from around the world cooked in clay, wise tips on choosing the right clay pot for cooking, and not to mention some delicious claypot chicken recipes!

So without further delay, let’s begin:

When considering the first thing you need before you try making your favorite claypot chicken & rice (or bread recipe), you need a good clay pot, right? There are quite a few options out there, how could you choose one that’s the best? Here are some tips:

• Check if they are “healthy & non-toxic”: Clay pots and pans are as healthy as the materials that they are made from. But wait, they’re made of clay, right? While the answer is technically yes, depending on the claypot, less than 10% of the composition may be actual clay! On top of that, this clay is secondary or tertiary clay, meaning it is not pure and may be laden with metals, chemicals, and other things that have contaminated the soil. Then, in manufacturing, more chemicals may be added – this prevents the clay from radiating the distinct heat that cooks without destroying nutrients (including the phytonutrients that are responsible for flavor and color in food!).
• Check if they are made without glaze: Glazes are usually applied to a claypot to give it a perfect-looking finish, add color, and prevent chemicals from the raw material from leaching into the food. But unfortunately, these glazes contain a number of chemicals and oxides which could themselves leach when exposed to heat.

• Ensure the clay used is tested: Going back to the point of being healthy and non-toxic, a clay pot may claim it has no dangerous chemicals in its material, but does it have the proof to back this claim up? Many eye-catching healthy buzzwords can be used in a sneaky way; for example, a pot may claim to be lead-free, but that is to say it contains an amount of lead that is below a certain standard threshold, not that it has ZERO lead. But we know any amount of lead near food is unacceptable!
• Make sure the pots are multifunctional: In other words, can you make all your recipes in this claypot? If you are making claypot chicken & rice, you do not want to have to cook the rice and cook the chicken in different pots. Multifunctional pots can cook a one-pot meal with ease, as well as a variety of other cooked meals!
• Look at where they are made: Where are they manufactured? Are they made in a facility with heavy machinery that usually requires the use of toxic chemicals in the process? Are they outsourcing their labor? Reliable and safe manufacturing processes ensures reliable cookware!

Is there a Claypot that Satisfies All These Criteria?

All those tips to selecting your claypot can sound tedious and daunting – how can you figure out all of those criteria to ensure that you have the healthiest possible cookware? Thankfully, we can make the choice easy and simple for you!

Miriam’s Earthen Cookware makes clay pots and pans made of pure, primary clay that has been tested and certified to have no lead, cadmium, or any other toxins in the sourced clay. In the production and manufacturing process (done entirely in the United States), no additives or chemicals are included whatsoever, and the pots are hand-crafted with no heavy machinery. They can be used to cook a variety of recipes with its versatility, too! You can use a MEC pot as a rice cooker, a Dutch oven, a one-pot meal cooker, a yogurt maker, a pressure cooker, a saucepan, and so much more.

You can get these 100% non-toxic, healthy and eco-friendly clay cookware here: clay cooking pots made in USA

A Delicious Claypot Chicken Recipe with Different Seasoning Flavors:

Many seek to cook a claypot chicken because of the rich flavors that you cannot normally experience when cooking chicken anywhere else. Cooking in a clay pot can offer so much flavor that usually isn’t present – your food naturally absorbs the flavors of the other spices & ingredients you put in the pot. With MEC, you can cook a claypot chicken whole or cook it in chunks, and the end result will always be tender and delicious. Here are simple instructions on how you can make a chicken in MEC:

You can season your chicken with any of the following all-natural spice combinations:

For an Asian Tandoor Flavor — Combine the following spices with 2 Tbsp. of water: 1 tsp. of turmeric | 1 tsp. of red chili powder | 1 Tbsp. of crushed ginger | 1 Tbsp. of crushed garlic| 1 tsp. sea salt | 1 tsp. garam masala (ground cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, anise seeds)

For a Mexican Flavor — Combine the following with 1/2 cup olive oil: 1 lime, juice | 5 cloves garlic, minced | 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped | 2 tsp. chili powder | 1 tsp. cumin | 1 tsp. salt | 1/2 tsp. pepper

For a Greek Flavor — Combine the following with 1/2 cup olive oil: 1/3 cup lemon juice | 5 cloves garlic, minced | 1 Tbsp. dried oregano | 1 tsp. salt | 1 tsp. pepper

For an All-American Flavor — Combine the following with 1 Tbsp. oil: 2 Tbsp. sugar | 1 Tbsp. garlic, crushed | 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper | 1/3 cup paprika | 1 Tbsp. black pepper, freshly ground.
In addition to these spices, you will find a traditional recipe call for Onion salt and/or Celery salt, instead of these high sodium chemically processed and preserved ingredients, place freshly sliced Onions and chopped Celery at the bottom of the pot, then place chicken over it. Flavor does not depreciate when cooking in MEC so flavoring from the vegetables will permeate and enrich the chicken better than using onion and celery salt, etc.

1: Apply the spice mix of your choice to your chicken and set aside for 30 minutes.

Note: Typically, you would need to marinate your chicken for 5-6 hours. However, when cooking in MEC, marinating is optional, and you can marinate your chicken for just 30 minutes while yielding even better results in flavor compared to 6 hours of marinating! The heat from MEC is pure and food-friendly – this helps carry spices and seasoning deep into the ingredients.

2: Add 1 Tbsp. of oil and 1 Tbsp. of water to your MEC pot, then place all the vegetables in the pot, place the chicken on top of the vegetables.

3: For stovetop: Cook on stovetop for 1.5 hours on medium low heat. In the Oven: Place pot in cold oven; set oven to 350 degrees F.  Cover and cook until done – may take 1.5 to 2 hours.

4: Turn oven/stove off; allow chicken to rest for 30-40 minutes before serving.

That’s really all that needs to be done! You do not need to add any additional unhealthy ingredients like canned chicken stock (for a stew variant) to your pot for flavor. In this clay cookware, the chicken creates a natural broth for it to simmer in, absorbing flavor. As a result, your chicken will come out so much more flavorful with each bite! The even, penetrating heat will also ensure tender chicken like no other, without any tenderizers. This recipe (as well as all other recipes) cook on a low or medium-low heat setting in about the same time as other cooking vessels – high heat is not needed or recommended for cooking in these pots.

Adding Rice to the Mix: A Fulfilling Claypot Chicken & Rice Recipe

If you want to add some rice to your claypot chicken recipe, doing so is real easy with MEC. The only difference is you add in your raw rice before you add in your chunks of chicken – simple, right? This spares the need for a separate rice cooker; your meal all comes together as a satisfying one-pot meal.

Claypot Biryani Casserole

Biryani is an Indo-Persian variation on chicken & rice. Biryani has a rich taste and an appealing aroma, full of healthy vegetables/chicken, rice, and spices. If desired, you can add dried shiitake mushrooms for added texture and health – shiitake mushrooms improve the immune system, lower blood cholesterol levels, and many other health benefits.

You can learn how to make this dish here: Chicken & Rice Biryani

Different Types of Dishes & More

Soups & Stews

MEC provides the healthiest means for soups and stews. Whenever you cook vegetables and other ingredients in your soup/stew, their flavors are naturally retained because the previously mentioned far-infrared heat prevents the damage of important nutrients like flavonoids (phytonutrients). This means you don’t need to suffocate your soup/stew in too much sodium, and you don’t need to use processed broth or stock for flavor – only the main ingredients, spices, and some water make a great soup. Click the link to make a healthy pumpkin soup recipe – the perfect comfort food for a rainy day.

Baking Bread

Homemade breads taste so much better in these pots, with customers reporting a more flavorful and rich texture. Homemade breads are a favorite of MEC users. Here are two healthy bread recipes:

• Unleavened Bread – Great tasting bread without the yeast. Using “atta” whole wheat flour helps bring out the flavor without a hard texture.
• Boule Bread – Soft, round bread with French origins that satisfies the taste buds with every bite. You cannot go wrong with this recipe!

Sautés, Stir-Fry, & Casseroles

One-pot meals and stir fries are perfect for clay pot cooking! As mentioned previously, all ingredients cook thoroughly in just one pot- no more cooking different ingredients in different pots!

Ingredients can be added in the order of cook time; for example, let’s say you are making a dish with potatoes, onions, and tomatoes as main ingredients. If you want the onions to get cooked down and become the base of the recipe, then add onions first with spices like crushed cumin and garlic. When onions have cooked in the pan/pot with the lid on for 5-7 minutes, add potatoes (as they take longer to cook compared to the tomatoes), then add the tomatoes when the potatoes are half cooked. Then top it off with garnishing ingredients.

Using this principle of adding ingredients in their order of cook time, you can recreate any type of recipes on low to medium heat. Follow the link for several great sautéing and stir fry recipes to start with!

Roasting & Braising

The same simplicity applies for roasting and braising any other meat in MEC. Meat cooks until tender and can be cooked with other ingredients in the same pot, making delicious roasts and other meat-based recipes in a fraction of the normal time. Try some of our favorite braising recipes, including a hearty beef pot roast and braised coconut chicken!

Steamed Vegetables

Steaming vegetables in these pots keeps delicate nutrients present in vegetables intact, adding a greater health value as well as a better taste to this perfect side dish or rice-topper. Here is how you can steam your vegetables to perfection with MEC: Steamed Vegetables.

Other Things You Can Make

Yogurt

Yogurt contains so many amazing health benefits that many classify it as a superfood. Read all about the great health benefits of yogurt and how you can make yogurt here: How to Make Yogurt at Home

Set of two healthy yogurt making pots can be purchased here: 2x 1/2 Gallon Best Homemade Yogurt Pots.

Baby Foods

Baby foods need careful selection to ensure your child gets the right nutrients for its development and growth. MEC makes sure those nutrients remain intact so a growing baby does not suffer from deficiencies as it develops. These clay pots and pans also do an excellent job of softening foods for easy digestion. You can read all about homemade baby food preparation here: [Article Coming Soon]

The ideal-size pots for making baby food can be purchased here: 2x 100% Non-Toxic Baby Food Maker Pots

Feeling Experimental? Here Are Some Cultural Dishes From Around the World:

If you want to try different clay pot recipes from around the world, we have plenty for you to try.

• Millie Rice – a South African rice plate with a mixture of beans, corn, and vegetables. It is healthy, hearty, and satisfyingly filling.
• Chicken Curry – A staple dish with a long and varied history in different parts of the world, chicken & rice curry is a favorite recipe among MEC users everywhere!
• Sambar – This lentil and bean soup is vegan-friendly and packed full of protein. Originally from Southeast Asia, you can make this dish with an assortment of medicinal spices and herbs that are great for your well-being. Add in vegetables and this dish does so much for your health!
• Garbanzo Chili – A South American chili that uses garbanzo beans, also known as chickpeas. This chili is rich in protein and fiber, and it can be eaten on its own or serve as a great dip! Add it on top of a bed of rice for some comforting carbs.
• Thai Chicken & Basil Stir Fry – This Asian recipe could not taste better – each bite is a joy. When preparing this recipe, you can use light soy sauce instead of dark soy sauce. Dark soy sauce likely has food coloring added to give it its color. When cooking with MEC, the chicken absorbs the soy and the other flavors to give a richness that is hard to forget!

We are constantly updating our recipe page with more recipes for you to make in MEC, be sure to regularly check for updates! Additionally, if you sign up for our e-magazine at the bottom of the home page, we will keep you updated with new recipes in weekly emails!

There are other bloggers who have tested and tried Miriam’s Earthen Cookware and share several recipes and reviews, here are some: Sally Zimmerman’s complete guide to nutritious cooking in Miriam’s Earthen Cookware, Janessa from Thrifty Nifty mom reviews Miriams Earthen Cookware, Gardening Know How discovers MEC!

The level of variability with which you can make food in MEC is unlimited. You can use these pots to make countless healthy meals without the hassle or headache. Don’t have an MEC pot yet? Get started with healthy cooking using these by ordering one from the online store today!