I’m excited to let you know that Joyce Farms has an improved, customer-friendly website that you must check out. I’ve been on their site a few times before the new design and I was excited to see the changes that make it easier to navigate around the new version. Anything that saves time when shopping online is a bonus. What’s better though, is the lovely selection of poultry and other locally-raised meats using sustainable farming practices. And with this site, you know where your food is coming from and isn’t that what triadfoodies is always preachin’?

I’ve told many a friend..and my hubby knows for certain, that usually the last thing I want to cook is a roasted chicken. For something that’s such a “go-to” meal for many a home cook, it is just not my thing. Not because I can’t do it…I’m just sort of grossed out by chicken (sorry, poultry farmers). And lately, at the store, the chicken is just so…greasy and the skin is so thick. But I was very excited to try my hand at my very own Heritage Breed chicken…A Poulet Rouge Fermier by Joyce Farms. Poulet Rouge is a world-renowned French farm chicken…and the Joyce Farms breed is the Red Bro Cou Nu…or red feathered naked neck—here’s a pic!

I first came to know about Poulet Rouge and Joyce Farms via Competition Dining, when it was a featured ingredient in one of the battles at Fire in the Triad. There was a lovely video with all these happy chickens running about on the farm, with an all-vegetarian, free-range, low-stress life. They actually do call them “happy” chickens. And Poulet Rouge is the choice of many a chef for the texture of the meat and the thin, crispy skin. I totally agree. The skin is so crispy and light, and we barely got any of it because that’s my son’s favorite part and he ate a LOT of it.

So here’s a look at my Poulet Rouge chicken, which eventually became chicken stock and Chicken and Rice Soup (sorry no pic) and my Poulet Rouge Griller (a mostly de-boned, smaller whole chicken with only the drummette remaining). Recipes are included.

Roasted Poulet Rouge Fermier

1 3-4 lb Joyce Farms Poulet Rouge Fermier chicken
1 T. Ghee or Olive oil
2-3 T. Fresh or Dried Herbs (I used a combo of Thyme, Lemon Thyme, Rosemary, Oregano, Lavender)
Lemon, halved
Salt/Pepper
Instructions: Rinse/pat the chicken dry. Lavish that bird with oil or ghee, then the salt, pepper and herbs. Be sure to give it a good rubbing underneath the skin too. You can use any rub you want and stuff it with herbs or onion, garlic. I just stuck the lemon halves in there and that was it. Along with the chicken, I roasted carrots, onions and brussel sprouts.

Roast breast-side down in a preheated, 400-degree oven for 30 minutes, then flip over and finish roasting until the chicken is done (depending on the weight, total cooking time should be about 1 to 1 1/2 hours). My whole bird took an hour and 5 minutes.  The Joyce Farms website recipe page says to baste it midway and I did that as well. Here’s how it turned out.

Gorgeous right? So we pretty much devoured all but some dark meat so I took what was left, threw it in a stock pot with some onion, garlic, salt and simmered a stock out of it, took all the meat off the bones and a couple of days later used the stock and meat and some frozen soup veggie blend, herbs and rice to make a Chicken and Rice soup. There’s no recipe for that. I simply got it all hot and flavorful, then added some rice and simmered until the rice was soft.

Then on date night, we took another Poulet Rouge…this one, a Joyce Farms griller (seen here).

We marinated it (for a couple of days as it turned out) and ended up with this magical feast…

Here’s what you do…the key is Dijon mustard (with or without herbs) and that wonderful sweet Thai chili sauce that you get in the Asian food aisle…it kind of looks like marmalade in a tall bottle. You’ve probably had it with Calamari or a Spring Roll. The result is a sweet and tangy, herbaceous chicken.

Dijon & Sweet Chili Marinated Chicken
(Note: This marinade can be done with any cut of chicken, pork or meat..but it was super tasty with this skin-on griller)

1 Joyce Farms Griller (it’s enough for two people)
1 T. Dijon Mustard
2 T. Olive Oil or Ghee
1 T. Thai Sweet Chili Sauce
1 Clove garlic, smashed or chopped
1 T. Fresh Rosemary, chopped
Salt/Pepper

Instructions: Sprinkle griller with salt and pepper, pour the remaining ingredients over chicken and rub it real good…make that happy chicken even happier. I marinated mine in a plastic bag, but you can use a shallow dish. Marinate at least four hours. On medium-high heat, grill  or sear flesh side down first until lightly browned, then flip over and grill skin-side down until cooked through and the skin is crispy. You can even finish off in the oven if you prefer.
Serve with your sides of choice. We used collards and herbed mashed potatoes. And there you have it, Date Night-In and no boring chicken either.

Joyce Farms has a whole selection of awesome Naked Chicken Sausages like Apple Raisin, Blueberry Maple and an awesome Chipotle just to name a few.  We seared the Chipotle the other night with some sauteed peppers and onions, and wrapped in a tortilla with salsa and guacamole. No pic…just close your eyes and imagine. Good! And it tasted fab! There’s also Naked Chicken breasts, thighs, Heritage Beef, Game–like duck and rabbit and some prepared items as well. Everything comes within a day or so of ordering in cooler with a dry ice pack.

Shopping Joyce Farms’ site is great way of an easy, no-hassle “Buy Local” experience from a company with a long history of working with small local farmers.

Joyce Farms
336.766.9900
www.joyce-farms.com

Disclosure: triadfoodies was compensated for an independent review of Joyce Farms’ website functionality as well as delivery and quality of Joyce Farms products. A blog review was not required nor even requested by Joyce Farms. triadfoodies only reviews products and businesses that we are passionate about and all opinions herein are our own.