Elena's Easy Pot Roast Chicken (and Chicken noodle soup too!)

1 Whole Chicken, washed and emptied of giblets
1 cup of Sake or white wine
2 tbsp Olive Oil
1 cup chopped leeks
1/2 cup chopped carrots
2/3 cup chopped celery
1 tsp salt
Chicken spices - as per your tastes

In a large pot, preferably cast iron (I use a "Creuset"), heat up the olive oil (medium high heat on the stove top). Throw in the leeks, carrots and celery and sautee until leeks are almost transparent and you can smell the aroma of the veggies. Take the chicken and rub it with salt and chicken spices (if the chicken spice mix you have already includes salt, do not add extra salt). Put the chicken in the pot breast down and pour the sake (Japanese rice wine) or white wine in with the chicken. Make sure to lift the chicken to let the sake flow underneath (so as to not burn the bottom of the chicken). Cover and reduce heat to medium low. Leave on stove top for about half an hour and check on it - cut it and make sure the liquid runs clear. Serve!

Also, when you have eaten all the parts that you usually eat (thigh, wings, breasts), let the bones and liquid congeal in the pot (in the fridge). Once congealed, remove the layer of fat on the top of the jelly and all the chicken bones, leaving any remnant chicken meat in the pot. You can now heat up the meat and jelly and veggies, add six cups of water, some salt, and some soup noodles (I like orzo or alphabets) and you have a very delicious chicken noodle soup! Enjoy!

Number of Servings: 6

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user LENNIE-O.