Feel Good, Well-Balanced Meal - Beer Can Duck or Chicken

Recipe courtesy of Food Network

Converted it to cook in VitaClay

I braised duck instead of chicken this time and paired it with antiaging side dish-millets, Job tear (good for guts and beautifying skin), Lotus seeds (good for the heart), and Euryale seed (for kidney) in bone broth, plus leafy green veggies. So healthy and yummy!

Ingredients:

• 1/4 pound slab or thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs (about 2 1/2 pounds)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• All-purpose flour, for dredging
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 (12-ounce) bottle beer (preferably brown ale)
• 1 cup pearl onions, thawed
• 1/2 pound small red-skinned new potatoes, halved
• 2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
• 2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions:
1. Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate.
2. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and dredge in flour, shaking off the excess.
3. (Optional) Add the olive oil to the drippings in the pot. Add the chicken in batches and cook over medium-high heat until golden on the bottom, 6 to 7 minutes, then flip and sear the other side, about 1 minute. Transfer to your VitaClay pot.
4. Add the beer, onions, potatoes, mustard, sugar, thyme and 1 cup water to the pot and stir, making sure the chicken is fully submerged.
5. Set on "stew" or "fast" to cook for 30-40 minutes.
6. Discard the thyme and stir in the bacon and parsley.
Add any side dish as you wish, leafy greens are always preferable, plus whole grains.
Enjoy!

Note: if you wish to cook a whole chicken, or a duck, yes you can! Set on stew to cook for 2 hours! Or fast setting to cook for 1 hour only.