Step 1

For the chicken stock:

Step 2

Heat a heavy bottom pan. Slice the peeled onion in half and place the cut side face down in the pan. Sear until onion is charred. Place the three cloves into the onions, remove from heat and place in stock pot. Add all remaining ingredients to your pot. Bring to a boil, skim of the white foam from the top and reduce to a simmer. Add a pinch of salt. Cook for 2 to 3 hours.

Step 3

When chicken is tender and falling off the bones, remove and set aside. When cooled remove meat from the bone. Shred and reserve the meat. Add bones back to the stock and cook for another hour.

Step 4

Continue to reduce the chicken broth until you have a little more than 3 quarts. Strain, cool and remove fat. Set aside in the fridge until ready to use.

Step 5

For the chicken middlins:

Step 6

Bring the chicken stock to a simmer with a healthy pinch of salt.

Step 7

In a separate wide pot, sweat the onions, celery, carrots and fennel in the olive oil until aromatic and translucent. Add a pinch of salt. Add the rice grits and stir to coat and toast in the oil.

Step 8

Add the white wine and reduce until the pan dries out again. Ladle in 2 cups of the chicken stock and stir over a low simmer. This will cook like a risotto. Let this reduce and get absorbed by the rice. Keep repeating this process until the middlins are just cooked and the stock is absorbed. The rice should be al dente.

Step 9

Stir in half of the butter and keep stirring as the stock reduces. You want a creamy consistency that slowly settles when spooned into a bowl. When the consistency is close, add the remaining butter and the reserved shredded chicken from the stock, and keep stirring until the chicken is fully folded in.

Step 10

Off the heat, add the herbs and lemon juice, and divvy up between 4 to 6 warm bowls.