The Perfect Polish Wedding Chicken: A Traditional Recipe

Polish weddings are a grand affair, with the main event often being the food. One of the most common dishes served at Polish weddings is the traditional Polish Wedding Chicken, also known as Rosol. This dish is typically served as a soup, with a rich chicken broth, fine noodles, carrots, celery, onions, herbs, and sometimes, small pieces of chicken. Preparing this dish is a labour of love, and while it may seem like a simple roast chicken, it is so much more.

Choosing the right chicken

Firstly, opt for a roaster chicken, which typically weighs between 3 and 5 pounds. This size is ideal for serving a generous portion to your guests. If you're cooking for a larger group, consider preparing two or more chickens to ensure everyone gets a taste. Remember, Polish weddings are all about abundance and generosity!

When selecting your chicken, look for one with healthy, plump breasts and thighs. The skin should be smooth and intact, with a pale yellow to white colour. Avoid chickens with bruised or discoloured skin, as this may affect the flavour and appearance of your dish.

Freshness is key, so choose a chicken with a moist surface and elastic texture. Give it a gentle poke to test its firmness – the flesh should spring back quickly. Avoid chickens that feel slimy or have an overpowering odour, as these are signs of spoilage.

If possible, opt for free-range or organic chickens. These birds tend to have better flavour and texture due to their diet and living conditions. They may be more expensive, but the difference in taste will be worth it for your special occasion.

Lastly, consider the type of cut you want. For Polish Wedding Chicken, a whole chicken is traditional, but you can also try butterflying the bird or cutting it into pieces. Butterflying involves removing the backbone and flattening the chicken, which helps it cook more evenly. Cutting the chicken into pieces, such as leg quarters or breast halves, can also work well for this recipe.

Remember to handle the chicken safely by keeping it refrigerated until you're ready to cook, and always wash your hands and utensils after handling raw chicken.

Preparing the chicken

Firstly, preheat your oven to 350°F. Remove any giblets from the chicken and set them aside for stock if desired. Remove large pieces of excess fat from the bird, but be sure to leave some to keep the meat moist while roasting. Dry the insides of the chicken with a paper towel. Next, use your fingers to gently loosen the skin on the breasts and thighs, being careful not to tear it.

Now, it's time to make the delicious rub that will infuse the chicken with flavor. Combine one medium onion (peeled and quartered), four cloves of garlic (peeled and smashed), two tablespoons of paprika, two teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of black pepper, and 1/2 cup of low-sodium chicken broth in a food processor or blender. Puree until smooth.

Spread half of the onion puree in the bottom of a roasting pan. Place the chicken on top of the puree. Rub the remaining puree under the skin of the chicken, making sure to cover the breasts, thighs, and cavity. Tuck the wings back and tie the legs.

At this point, your chicken is almost ready for the oven! Just a few more steps to ensure maximum flavor and moisture. Baste the chicken with 1/4 cup of chicken broth. This will help keep the meat moist and juicy.

Now, it's time to roast the chicken. Place it in the preheated oven and roast for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, baste the chicken with the pan drippings and/or broth every 15 minutes for an additional 40 minutes. Keep an eye on the color of the skin. When it turns a golden brown, loosely cover the chicken with a "tent" of aluminum foil to prevent overbrowning.

Continue roasting and basting for another 30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked to your desired level of doneness. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, away from the bone, should read 175°F, and the cavity juices should be clear.

Once your chicken is roasted to perfection, transfer it to a platter and cover it with foil to rest. The internal temperature will continue to rise by about five degrees.

Finally, it's time to make the delicious gravy. Pour off the pan juices and chill them until the fat rises to the top. Skim off the fat and return it to the roasting pan. Add the remaining chicken broth and bring to a low boil over medium heat, scraping up all the flavorful brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring back to a boil for a couple of minutes.

Strain the juices through a fine sieve into a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. To thicken the gravy, whisk in a mixture of two tablespoons of water and one tablespoon of cornstarch. Cook for about a minute, stirring continuously, until slightly thickened.

For a delicious finishing touch, whisk in two tablespoons of finely chopped fresh dill (or three tablespoons of dried dill) and two tablespoons of sour cream. Taste the gravy and adjust the seasoning as needed.

Your Polish Wedding Chicken is now ready to be carved and served! Enjoy the delicious flavors and moist texture of this special dish.

Making the sauce

For a delicious sauce to accompany your Polish Wedding Chicken, you will need the following ingredients: chicken broth, vodka, water, cornstarch, fresh dill, and sour cream.

Firstly, pour the chicken broth and vodka into the roasting pan, bringing it to a low boil over medium heat. Scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Next, skim off the fat from the chilled pan juices and add them back to the roasting pan. Bring the mixture back to a boil for a couple of minutes.

Then, strain the juices through a fine sieve into a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the water and cornstarch. Add this mixture to the saucepan and cook for about a minute, stirring continuously, until the sauce has slightly thickened. Finally, whisk in the dill and sour cream, tasting and seasoning as needed.

Your Polish Wedding Chicken sauce is now ready to serve!

Cooking the chicken

To cook the chicken for Polish Wedding Chicken, start by preheating your oven to 350 °F. Remove the giblets from a 3- to 5-pound roaster chicken and take out any large pieces of excess fat, but be sure to leave some to keep the bird moist while roasting. Dry the insides with a paper towel, then use your fingers to gently loosen the skin on the breasts and thighs, being careful not to tear it.

Next, make a puree by combining 1 medium peeled and quartered onion, 4 peeled and smashed garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons of paprika, 2 teaspoons of salt, and 1 teaspoon of black pepper in a food processor or blender. Spread half of the onion puree in the bottom of a roasting pan. Place the chicken on top of the puree and rub the rest of it under the skin and inside the cavity. Tuck the wings back and tie the legs.

Roast the chicken for 20 minutes, then baste with 1/4 cup of broth and roast for another 40 minutes, basting with pan drippings and/or broth every 15 minutes. Keep an eye on the skin to make sure it doesn't get too dark—if it goes just past golden brown, place a "tent" of aluminium foil loosely over the top. Continue roasting and basting for another 30 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (away from the bone) reads 175 °F and the cavity juices are clear. Transfer the chicken to a platter and cover with foil to rest. The inner temperature will rise about another 5 degrees as it rests.

Now it's time to make the gravy. Pour off the pan juices and chill them until the fat has risen to the top. Skim off the fat and add it back to the roasting pan along with the remaining chicken broth and 1/3 cup of vodka. Bring to a low boil over medium heat, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring back to a boil for a couple of minutes, then strain the juices through a fine sieve into a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer, then whisk in a mixture of 2 tablespoons of water and 1 tablespoon of cornstarch to thicken the gravy. Cook for about a minute, stirring continuously. Finally, whisk in 2 tablespoons of finely chopped fresh dill (or 3 tablespoons dried dill) and 2 tablespoons of sour cream. Taste the gravy and season as needed.

Carve the chicken and arrange it on a platter. Serve with Vegetables Polonaise and pair with ice-cold vodka, a light red wine such as Pinot Noir, or a dry Rosé. Smacznego!

Serving suggestions

Polish Wedding Chicken is best served with a side of vegetables, such as Vegetables Polonaise, and paired with a drink like ice-cold vodka, a light red wine such as Pinot Noir, or a dry Rosé.

The chicken is often served as part of a larger feast, with endless salads, snacks, cakes, and drinks. It is customary for there to be a lot of food at Polish weddings, with dishes brought out every hour after the main course.

If you're serving Polish Wedding Chicken at home, you could serve it with creamy mashed potatoes, pasta, or garlic bread. For something lighter, try oven-roasted asparagus or quick and easy garlic green beans.

Frequently asked questions