stewed chicken w/ meyer lemon and fresh herbs

GAPS Intro Diet.  Day 13.  Stage 2.

This is an extremely easy chicken stew that you can make for two or six with little prep and a reasonable cook time.  The fresh meyer lemon adds depth to an otherwise turn key recipe.

We recently had a few friends from Vegas visit, and although they are not on the diet, they were enamored with this dish and couldn't stop raving about it.  GAPS and guest friendly!

stewed chicken w/ meyer lemon and fresh herbs
serves 6-8

2 whole pastured chickens, rinsed and drained*
2 quarts chicken stock
1 large onion, chopped
1 head of garlic, peeled and chopped
4 meyer lemons, halved and juiced, seeds removed
large bunch greens such as spinach, kale or chard, washed, de-ribbed and torn [if necessary]
fresh herbs such as thyme, rosemary and oregano
celtic mineral sea salt
ghee [pork, beef, or chicken fat would also do]

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Using a sharp knife, separate the wings and legs from the body of each chicken.  Leave the breasts attached to the mid-section.  
3. In a large, heavy pot, heat a generous amount of ghee over medium-high heat.  One or two pieces at a time, add the chicken and brown on all sides.  After each piece has been browned, move to a clean bowl.
4. Once all of the chicken has been browned, add a bit more ghee to the pot and add the onions, sauteing until translucent.  Add the garlic and saute a few minutes more until fragrant.
5. Add the lemon juice and allow to cook down, stirring into the onions and garlic.
6. Add half of the fresh herbs, a generous dash of sea salt and the lemon halves.
7. On top of that, place the chicken pieces carefully so that they all fit nicely into the pot.  Cover with chicken stock.  Sprinkle generously with sea salt and more fresh herbs.
8. Cover the pot with a lid and transfer to the oven.  Bake for 1-2 hours or until meat falls easily off the bone.  De-bone the chicken before serving.  Save the bones and any extra skin, etc for your next batch of homemade chicken stock.
9. Saute greens and serve under the stew or on the side - or stir in during the last few minutes of baking.
10. Serve in deep bowls with a side of cultured vegetables.  Season liberally with celtic mineral sea salt.

*Make sure you have a pot large enough to hold two chickens.  Pastured chickens are smaller, so two fit in my 7-qt Le Creuset just fine.  Downsize to 1 chicken and cut other ingredients in half if needed.