Chicken in a Bag
Barbecued Chicken in a Paper Bag
Make a barbecued chicken recipe in a paper bag! It is easy, delicious and clean up is as simple as throwing away the bag.
This vintage recipe for chicken in a bag is from an old Louisville Courier-Journal article published August 16. 1963. This was in my Aunt Madaline's collection of recipes I received when she passed away.
This barbecued chicken recipe is baked slowly in the oven, inside a greased paper bag. Cooking in the bag makes the chicken tender and juicy.
This vintage recipe was conceived before the crockpot had been invented. You could probably cook this in the crockpot with similar results, but I have not yet tried it. If anyone does, I hope they will come back and leave a comment so we know how it turned out!
This is an easy recipe. Just do not forget to turn the oven down!
Granite-Ware Roaster - Great for Cooking Chicken in a Bag
A granite-ware roasting pan makes it easy to make a perfect roast! I still have two of my grandmother's granite-ware roasters. If you take care of them, they will last generations. This is cookware you can hand down to your children and grandchildren!
In addition to chicken in a bag, this roasting pan will make the perfect roast or Thanksgiving turkey. It comes in various sizes, but I find this size to be convenient and versatile.
This recipe makes enough barbecue sauce for 3 pounds of chicken pieces.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons catsup
- 2 tablespoons vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 4 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon mustard (dry or prepared)
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- 1. To make sauce, combine all of these ingredients in a medium saucepan, and heat to allow flavors to blend.
- 2. Preheat oven to 500 degrees fahrenheit.
- 3. Grease the inside of a brown paper bag (medium size) and place in a roasting pan. If you do not have a paper bag, you may use aluminum foil.
- 4. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper to taste. Then dip each piece in the sauce and place into the paper bag.
- 5. After all of the chicken is in the bag, pour any remaining sauce into the bag over the chicken pieces.
- 6. Close the bag carefully with a double fold and fasten with paper clips to prevent the sauce from leaking out.
- 7. Put the lid on the roasting pan and put into the oven.
- 8. After baking 15 minutes at 500 degrees, lower the temperature to 350 degrees and bake another hour and 15 minutes.
- 9. Keep bag closed tightly throughout the cooking process.
Chicken in a Bag Poll
Have you ever used a paper bag in cooking?
Suggestions for Twenty-First Century Cooks - Making Chicken in a Bag Even Easier!
In 1964, medium-sized brown paper bags were everywhere. In the era before plastic grocery bags, every grocery store put items in brown paper bags. Today they can be a little harder to come by. Here are some suggestions for twenty-first century cooks who want to make chicken in a bag, but cannot find a bag.
- Make a bag using aluminum foil as suggested in the recipe. This is probably the most authentic option if you want to remain true to this recipe's vintage roots.
- Make the recipe in a crockpot or slow cooker without any kind of bag. Simply dip the chicken pieces into sauce, put them into the slow cooker, then cover with remaining sauce. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.
- Substitute a commercial cooking bag.
You Will Need a Bag
Have you ever baked anything in a paper bag? Are you going to try this recipe? After you try it, please come back and leave a comment to let us know how it was!