I have made chicken on a bottle many times, especially when I have guests or want a hassle-free roast. I like it because you don't have to tend to it all the time, and the result is always something that gets eaten quickly, with simple sides. Once you have everything you need at hand, there's really nothing complicated to do.
Quick Info
Total time: about 2 hours and 15 minutes (including preparation)
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Baking time: 2 hours (time may vary depending on the oven and the size of the chicken)
Servings: 4
Difficulty: easy to medium
Recipe type: oven roast, suitable for Sunday dinner or a meal with guests
Ingredients
1 whole chicken (over 1.5 kg)
2 tablespoons of vegeta
Salt (to taste)
Pepper
Dried thyme
5 cloves of garlic
1 bunch of parsley
1 tablespoon of sweet paprika
3-4 tablespoons of oil
1 liter bottle (Borsec or similar), filled with water
4 cups of water for the baking tray
Preparation
1. Clean the chicken well and wash it, then pat it dry with paper towels.
2. Crush the garlic cloves with the blade of a knife on a cutting board. Score the chicken skin in a few places and insert pieces of garlic under the skin.
3. Rub the chicken all over with oil. Sprinkle vegeta, pepper, thyme, and paprika, both inside and out. Inside, add a bit of salt to taste.
4. Chop the parsley and one garlic clove (or the rest of the garlic) finely. Mix them and place them inside the chicken, along with the spices already added.
5. If you want the chicken saltier, you can add a bit more salt.
6. Fill a 1-liter bottle (preferably a long-necked Borsec bottle) with water. Place the bottle upright in a large baking tray. Pour about 4 cups of water into the tray.
7. Place the chicken with the opening facing the bottle and set it to stand "straddling" the bottle, with the thicker part down, so that it stands stable.
8. Preheat the oven. Place the tray with the chicken on the bottle in the oven.
9. Let the chicken bake for about 2 hours. The time may vary depending on the chicken and oven, but do not increase the temperature too much — it needs time to cook through. If you notice that the water in the tray is decreasing, just top it up with hot water (to avoid risking the bottle breaking).
10. The chicken is done when the meat easily pulls away from the bone and the skin is browned.
11. Carefully remove the tray, pull the chicken off the bottle (careful, everything will be hot) and let it rest for a few minutes before carving.
Why I make this recipe often
It's a recipe that doesn't require constant attention and always turns out tender. You can focus on the sides or other things while the chicken bakes. It's suitable when you have more people at the table and don't want to be in the kitchen all the time.
Tips and variations
Tips
1. Never leave the tray without water. The bottle can break if it remains dry and is exposed to direct heat.
2. Only use thick glass bottles (like Borsec) — not every bottle can withstand the oven.
3. You can also use a tall jar if you don't have a suitable bottle. The important thing is that the chicken stands stable.
4. Always top up with hot water, not cold, to avoid thermal shock.
5. Do not bake at too high a temperature — the chicken needs time to cook evenly.
Substitutions
If you don't have vegeta, you can use a mix of salt and other spices, but the chicken will have a simpler taste. You can use other fresh herbs instead of parsley, but parsley is the most suitable here.
Variations
1. Instead of plain water, you can put a "marinade" in the jar or bottle made of water, a little oil, vegeta, thyme, garlic, parsley, and a bay leaf. The flavors will rise through the steam and penetrate the meat more.
2. You can also use other spice mixes, depending on what you like.
3. For crispier skin, in the last 20 minutes you can slightly increase the temperature if the chicken is almost done.
Serving ideas
It goes best with a green salad or pickles. For a side, you can choose baked potatoes or mashed potatoes with butter. I have also made spiced bread for this recipe, but any simple bread is suitable.
Frequently asked questions
1. Can I use a plastic bottle instead of glass?
No. Only thick glass that can withstand high temperatures is safe. Plastic bottles cannot be used.
2. Can I put other vegetables in the tray under the chicken?
Yes, but be careful not to overcrowd the tray so as not to obstruct the bottle and give the chicken room to cook evenly.
3. What do I do if the bottle breaks?
Immediately remove the tray carefully, throw everything away, and do not attempt to use the meat. Do not use old, cracked, or thin bottles.
4. If I don't have vegeta, can I just use salt and other spices?
Yes, but the chicken will be less flavorful. Vegeta helps with the final taste, but it's not mandatory if you don't usually use it.
5. How quickly should I serve the chicken after taking it out?
Ideally, you should let it rest for 10-15 minutes after baking before carving, to keep it tender and prevent the juices from running out.
Nutritional values
Approximately, for one serving (out of 4 servings, without sides):
Calories: 350-400 kcal
Protein: 35-40 g
Fat: 20-25 g
Carbohydrates: under 5 g
The values depend on how much skin and fat remain on the serving and what side you choose. This recipe is hearty and filling, but not very high in carbohydrates.
Storage and reheating
It's best to eat the chicken fresh, but if there are leftovers, it can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two days in a sealed container. Reheating is best done in the oven at low temperature, covered, to prevent it from drying out too much. I do not recommend keeping it for more than two days, as the tenderness will not be the same.
This is the recipe for chicken on a bottle in the oven, just as I usually make it, without complications, with simple ingredients and clear steps.
Quick Info
Total time: about 2 hours and 15 minutes (including preparation)
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Baking time: 2 hours (time may vary depending on the oven and the size of the chicken)
Servings: 4
Difficulty: easy to medium
Recipe type: oven roast, suitable for Sunday dinner or a meal with guests
Ingredients
1 whole chicken (over 1.5 kg)
2 tablespoons of vegeta
Salt (to taste)
Pepper
Dried thyme
5 cloves of garlic
1 bunch of parsley
1 tablespoon of sweet paprika
3-4 tablespoons of oil
1 liter bottle (Borsec or similar), filled with water
4 cups of water for the baking tray
Preparation
1. Clean the chicken well and wash it, then pat it dry with paper towels.
2. Crush the garlic cloves with the blade of a knife on a cutting board. Score the chicken skin in a few places and insert pieces of garlic under the skin.
3. Rub the chicken all over with oil. Sprinkle vegeta, pepper, thyme, and paprika, both inside and out. Inside, add a bit of salt to taste.
4. Chop the parsley and one garlic clove (or the rest of the garlic) finely. Mix them and place them inside the chicken, along with the spices already added.
5. If you want the chicken saltier, you can add a bit more salt.
6. Fill a 1-liter bottle (preferably a long-necked Borsec bottle) with water. Place the bottle upright in a large baking tray. Pour about 4 cups of water into the tray.
7. Place the chicken with the opening facing the bottle and set it to stand "straddling" the bottle, with the thicker part down, so that it stands stable.
8. Preheat the oven. Place the tray with the chicken on the bottle in the oven.
9. Let the chicken bake for about 2 hours. The time may vary depending on the chicken and oven, but do not increase the temperature too much — it needs time to cook through. If you notice that the water in the tray is decreasing, just top it up with hot water (to avoid risking the bottle breaking).
10. The chicken is done when the meat easily pulls away from the bone and the skin is browned.
11. Carefully remove the tray, pull the chicken off the bottle (careful, everything will be hot) and let it rest for a few minutes before carving.
Why I make this recipe often
It's a recipe that doesn't require constant attention and always turns out tender. You can focus on the sides or other things while the chicken bakes. It's suitable when you have more people at the table and don't want to be in the kitchen all the time.
Tips and variations
Tips
1. Never leave the tray without water. The bottle can break if it remains dry and is exposed to direct heat.
2. Only use thick glass bottles (like Borsec) — not every bottle can withstand the oven.
3. You can also use a tall jar if you don't have a suitable bottle. The important thing is that the chicken stands stable.
4. Always top up with hot water, not cold, to avoid thermal shock.
5. Do not bake at too high a temperature — the chicken needs time to cook evenly.
Substitutions
If you don't have vegeta, you can use a mix of salt and other spices, but the chicken will have a simpler taste. You can use other fresh herbs instead of parsley, but parsley is the most suitable here.
Variations
1. Instead of plain water, you can put a "marinade" in the jar or bottle made of water, a little oil, vegeta, thyme, garlic, parsley, and a bay leaf. The flavors will rise through the steam and penetrate the meat more.
2. You can also use other spice mixes, depending on what you like.
3. For crispier skin, in the last 20 minutes you can slightly increase the temperature if the chicken is almost done.
Serving ideas
It goes best with a green salad or pickles. For a side, you can choose baked potatoes or mashed potatoes with butter. I have also made spiced bread for this recipe, but any simple bread is suitable.
Frequently asked questions
1. Can I use a plastic bottle instead of glass?
No. Only thick glass that can withstand high temperatures is safe. Plastic bottles cannot be used.
2. Can I put other vegetables in the tray under the chicken?
Yes, but be careful not to overcrowd the tray so as not to obstruct the bottle and give the chicken room to cook evenly.
3. What do I do if the bottle breaks?
Immediately remove the tray carefully, throw everything away, and do not attempt to use the meat. Do not use old, cracked, or thin bottles.
4. If I don't have vegeta, can I just use salt and other spices?
Yes, but the chicken will be less flavorful. Vegeta helps with the final taste, but it's not mandatory if you don't usually use it.
5. How quickly should I serve the chicken after taking it out?
Ideally, you should let it rest for 10-15 minutes after baking before carving, to keep it tender and prevent the juices from running out.
Nutritional values
Approximately, for one serving (out of 4 servings, without sides):
Calories: 350-400 kcal
Protein: 35-40 g
Fat: 20-25 g
Carbohydrates: under 5 g
The values depend on how much skin and fat remain on the serving and what side you choose. This recipe is hearty and filling, but not very high in carbohydrates.
Storage and reheating
It's best to eat the chicken fresh, but if there are leftovers, it can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two days in a sealed container. Reheating is best done in the oven at low temperature, covered, to prevent it from drying out too much. I do not recommend keeping it for more than two days, as the tenderness will not be the same.
This is the recipe for chicken on a bottle in the oven, just as I usually make it, without complications, with simple ingredients and clear steps.