Clay Pot Chicken with Chinese Sausage and Mushrooms

There are two things Chris keeps asking for which I can't seem to work into the dinner cycle.  Pot roast and clay cooker chicken.  Does anyone have a good pot roast recipe?  I've attached a stigma towards it, but I'm sure there's an excellent recipe out there, I just haven't searched it out.  Now, clay cooker chicken was something I used to make when we were first married.  I had and still do have a Schlemmertopf clay cooker.  It does make a good fool proof, tender and juicy chicken.  Come to think of it, why am I not using that any more?  I need to pull it out of the depths of the basement and put it to some good use.  But for tonight, I have already gone the Chinese route and so my chicken will go into my clay hot pot instead.  It's nearly the same vessel.


1 Whole Chicken cut into 10 pieces, cutting the breast in half as well

2 Tbsp rice wine

2 Tbsp water

1 Tbsp light soy sauce

3" Piece of ginger, thickly sliced

4 Garlic cloves, peeled and smashed

4 Scallions, cut into 4" sections

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp sesame oil

1/2 tsp szechuan peppercorns

Put everything together, except the chicken, into a large zip lock bag and mix well.  Then add the chicken and massage the ingredients into the chicken.  Refrigerate overnight.

5-6 Dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked until soft, liquid reserved
3-4 oz Fresh oyster mushrooms
2 Links of Chinese Sausage, sliced diagonally into 1/3" pieces


Fill the clay pot with water and soak for 1-2 hours before using.
Remove chicken from the refrigerator about 45 minutes before cooking to allow to come to room temp.   

Heat oven to 400f.  Pour the water out of the pot and place chicken along with the marinating ingredients in tot he pot.  Scatter the shiitake mushrooms and Chinese sausages around the chicken and pour 1/2 cup of the reserved liquid into the pot.  Cover and bake for 45 minutes.

Then add the oyster mushrooms, cover and continue to bake for another 15-20 minutes.  Remove from the oven and let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.  
Serve with a bowl of rice and sautéed greens, baby spinach in my case.