This braised one-pot whole chicken with veggies seasoned with herbs, lemon, and garlic is one of the best primal-friendly dinner recipes. Low in carbs and high in proteins, healthy fats, and flavor, this chicken is a deeply nourishing and comforting meal. Perfect whether you’re following the Primal Diet, or simply want a hearty, easy meal with simple ingredients.
Why braise a whole chicken?
Roasting a chicken is a classic, but braising takes things to the next level. Braising means slow-cooking meat in a bit of liquid. Braised chicken turns out incredibly tender, moist, and infused with flavor. I also love that this can be a one-pot meal, with meat and veggies cooked at the same time. Less hassle to cook, less dishes to wash! This recipe is super simple and you don’t need fancy tools or fussy techniques. This chicken turns out perfectly in a Dutch oven, but you can use any heavy-bottomed oven-safe pot with a lid.
This one-pot braised chicken with veggies recipe is also very forgiving and customizable. You can switch up the veggies, change the herbs, use some wine to deglaze the pan, cook in bone broth, or just water. If you’re not following a low-carb, Primal diet, you can add some potatoes and you’ll have a delicious twist that’s richer in carbs and comfort!
This recipe it’s delicious, nourishing, and easy to make. Plus, it makes your house smell amazing. Perfect for a Sunday family dinner!
If you want another good whole chicken recipe, this one is perfect for those busy days when you forgot to take your meat out of the freezer. Find out how to roast a whole chicken from frozen in just 1 hour in this post!
What makes this one-pot braised chicken and veggies primal-friendly?
If you’re following the Primal Diet (you can read all about it and find a full Primal food list here!), this recipe is a perfect fit because it brings together high-protein, pasture-raised chicken, plenty of healthy fats, and Primal-friendly veggies. But even if you’re not strictly Primal, this dish is ideal for anyone craving a simple, hearty, and nourishing meal. I also love because you just toss everything into one pot, pop it in the oven, and forget about it until it’s time to eat!
Let’s see what makes this recipe Primal-approved:
Cooking a whole chicken: proteins, fats, collagen, and more
Cooking a whole chicken is one of the easiest and most nourishing ways to add nose-to-tail meals to your diet (you can read all about nose-to-tail eating and its benefits in this post). For the best flavor and nutrition, go for a good-quality, pasture-raised chicken. Whole chickens aren’t just a great source of protein, they also give you healthy fats, collagen, and deep flavor, all while being much more affordable than buying individual cuts like chicken breasts. And don’t toss those bones! Save them to make a rich, healing bone broth. And if you’re feeling extra resourceful, you can even turn the leftover bones into natural bone meal fertilizer for your garden.
A meal rich in healthy fats
One of the key principles of the Primal Diet is getting enough healthy fats, and this meal delivers! While chicken breast is a lean, low-fat meat, cooking a whole chicken means you also get the delicious skin and rich dark meat from the legs and wings, which provide much more fat (and flavor). Chicken fat is made up of about 45% monounsaturated fat, 26% saturated fat, and 14% polyunsaturated fat (which isn’t the most beneficial type). By adding a good source of saturated fat like butter, ghee, or tallow, you boost the nutrient density and help balance the fat profile beautifully.
Low-carb, Primal-friendly veggies
While most one-pot chicken or roast recipes use potatoes or other starchy veggies, this one keeps it Primal-friendly by swapping them out for low-carb options like onions, carrots, and Brussels sprouts. You can easily mix it up with other great choices like celery, broccoli or cauliflower florets, squash, cabbage wedges, or mushrooms.
Add garlic, fresh herbs, and lemon for an extra pop of flavor and a boost of nutrients!
Ingredients for this one-pot braised whole chicken and veggies
Whole chicken. Choose organic and pasture-raised if possible for better nutrient density and flavor. Giblets can be removed and saved for broth. One medium-size chicken (about 3.5–4 lbs) will make about 6 portions.
Ghee, butter, or tallow. Choose your favorite traditional fat or what you have on hand. These cooking fats are stable at high heat and add rich flavor. Grass-fed varieties offer more vitamins A, D, E, and K2.
Sea salt and black pepper. Bring out all the flavor of the other ingredients. I love Redmond Real Salt for its unique flavor and health benefits.
Low-carb veggies: onion, carrots, and Brussel sprouts. I love this combination of low-carb veggies that add sweetness and flavor to this recipe. You can also swap them for any veggies you like!
Lemon. Use both the peel and juice to give this recipe a touch of tanginess and fresh flavor. Use organic lemons preferably.
Garlic. Add extra notes of flavor to this chicken and marries beautifully with the other ingredients.
Bone broth. Homemade bone broth enhances the flavor and adds gut-friendly collagen and minerals to this meal. If you don’t have bone broth on hand, you can use water.
Fresh or dry rosemary, thyme, and sage. These classic roasting herbs add extra flavors for this recipe. You can also swap with your favorite herbs.
Equipment You’ll Needd for this Recipe
Cutting board, preferably wooden.
Peeler and knife for prepping veggies.
Microplane or box grater for zesting lemon.
Dutch oven or oven-safe pot with lid.
Wooden spatula for stirring while cooking.
How to make this one-pot braised whole chicken and veggies
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare the vegetables: peel and chop onion and carrots into medium-large chunks, chop 2 cloves of garlic finely, and trim woody stems off Brussel sprouts and chop any large ones in half, leaving smaller ones whole. Set aside.
Step 2: Wash and dry the lemon, then grate the peel with a microplane or box grater. Cut the lemon in half. Set aside halved lemon and grated peel.
Step 3: Remove giblets and untruss chicken, if necessary. Pat chicken dry with a paper towel and season it generously with sea salt, pepper, and grated lemon peel on both sides and in the cavity. Add half lemon, a couple of garlic cloves, and one sprig each of rosemary sage and thyme (or herbs of choice) inside the chicken cavity. If using dried herbs instead, season the chicken on both side and cavity with about 1 tsp of each herb.
Step 4: In a large Dutch oven or heavy oven-safe pot, melt the butter (or fat of choice) over medium-high heat. Sear the seasoned chicken for a few minutes on each side until golden brown (takes about 2-3 minutes on each side). Remove and set aside.
Step 5: In the same pot, add the chopped onions, carrots, garlic, and Brussels sprouts, seasoning with a little salt. Sauté for 3–4 minutes to bring out their flavor.
Step 6: Add extra herbs and seasoning (if desired) to the veggies. Nestle the chicken into the pot with breast side up, moving the veggies to the side. Add bone broth (or water) over the veggies, and squeeze the juice of half a lemon over the chicken. You can also add some extra lemon slices over the chicken and veggies.
Step 7: Cover the pot with the lid (or with foil) and place into the preheated oven.
Step 8: Let the chicken bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until fully cooked (internal temperature should be 165°F by the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone, and juices should run clear, not pink). For crispier skin, if desired, remove the lid for the last 10–15 minutes of cooking or place under the broiler for 2–3 minutes (watch it closely!).
Step 9: Remove the pot from the oven and serve right away. You can carve the chicken and stir the shredded meat back in with the veggies, or simply leave it whole and scoop out portions of both chicken and vegetables. Garnish with fresh herbs, sliced green onions, or lemon wedges, and serve with sliced avocado, if desired.
Notes
- You can swap out the vegetables in this recipe for your favorite ones. Good options are: celery, broccoli or cauliflower florets, squash, cabbage wedges, or mushrooms. You can also use your preferred choice of herbs to add flavor.
- Baking time will vary depending on the size of your chicken. As a general rule, add about 20 minutes of cooking time for each additional pound. For example, a 5-pound chicken should bake for approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes.
- If you have leftovers, you can freeze them for a quick future meal, toss the shredded chicken into a fresh salad, or turn everything into a cozy soup the next day!
If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out. Drop a comment down below and don’t forget to leave a 5-star rating if you enjoyed it!
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One-Pot Braised Whole Chicken and Veggies (Primal-Friendly)
Equipment
- Cutting board, knife, and peeler for prepping vegetable
- 1 Dutch oven or large oven-safe pan with lid
- Wooden spatula
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken (about 3.5–4 lbs) preferably organic and pasture-raised
- 3 tbsp ghee, butter, or tallow preferably grass-fed
- Sea salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 onion
- 4 medium-large carrots
- 1 cup Brussels sprouts
- 1 lemon preferably organic
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 1 cup bone broth or water
- A few sprigs of fresh rosemary, thyme, and sage, or herbs of choice (or 1-2 tsp each dried)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare the vegetables: peel and chop onion and carrots into medium-large chunks, chop 2 cloves of garlic finely, and trim woody stems off Brussel sprouts and chop any large ones in half, leaving smaller ones whole. Set aside.
- Wash and dry the lemon, then grate the peel with a microplane or box grater. Cut the lemon in half. Set aside halved lemon and grated peel.
- Remove giblets and untruss chicken, if necessary. Pat chicken dry with a paper towel and season it generously with sea salt, pepper, and grated lemon peel on both sides and in the cavity. Add half lemon, a couple of garlic cloves, and one sprig each of rosemary sage and thyme (or herbs of choice) inside the chicken cavity. If using dried herbs instead, season the chicken on both side and cavity with about 1 tsp of each herb.
- In a large Dutch oven or heavy oven-safe pot, melt the butter (or fat of choice) over medium-high heat. Sear the seasoned chicken for a few minutes on each side until golden brown (takes about 2-3 minutes on each side). Remove and set aside.
- In the same pot, add the chopped onions, carrots, garlic, and Brussels sprouts, seasoning with salt. Sauté for 3–4 minutes to bring out their flavor.
- Add extra herbs and seasoning (if desired) to the veggies. Nestle the chicken into the pot with breast side up, moving the veggies to the side. Add bone broth over the veggies, and squeeze the juice of half a lemon over the chicken. You can also add some lemon slices over the top of the veggies and chicken.
- Cover the pot with the lid (or with foil) and place into the preheated oven.
- Let the chicken bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until fully cooked (internal temperature should be 165°F by the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone, and juices should run clear, not pink). For crispier skin, if desired, remove the lid for the last 10–15 minutes of cooking or place under the broiler for 2–3 minutes (watch it closely!).
- Remove the pot from the oven and serve right away. You can carve the chicken and stir the shredded meat back in with the veggies, or simply leave it whole and scoop out portions of both chicken and vegetables. Garnish with fresh herbs, sliced green onions, or lemon wedges, and serve with sliced avocado, if desired.
The picture is so beautiful. It looks absolutely delicious!
Thank you so much, Alisha!! 🙂