This week we would like to you show you a simple but delicious dish that is super easy to make and will feed you for meals. It is a Rosemary Roasted Chicken. I have never roasted a chicken before but I followed the easy recipe listed below and was delighted with the outcome.
The most important thing is to brine the chicken. You throw all the ingredients listed below for the Chicken Brine into a pot and bring it to a boil. After it comes to a boil, let the brine cool down before putting in the chicken. You do not want the liquid to cook the chicken. A good trick is to place the liquid into a large bowl (big enough for the chicken to be submerged) and place it into the fridge to cool down. Once the liquid is cool, submerge the chicken into the brine and place it in the fridge overnight. I put saran wrap over the bowl and put a beer can on top to make sure the chicken is submerged.
The next day, it is time to Roast the Chicken. Take the chicken out of the brine, pat it down with some paper towels to make sure it’s dry (the chicken skin crisps better when it is dry). Soften the butter by placing it in the microwave for a few seconds. After the butter is softened, throw in the rosemary and thyme and mix it all into a paste. Rub the butter onto the chicken and under the skin. Then, throw it into the oven at 375 degrees. I decided to put Brussels sprouts and potatoes underneath the roasting rack to catch the seasoned drippings from the chicken. Let it roast for about an hr and a half (depends on size of chicken) and then it’s dinner time! The roast chicken with the veggies is a meal on its own but the leftover chicken meat can easily be shredded for salads, sandwiches or thrown into a pasta dish. The leftover chicken bones can be boiled down to make chicken soup.
Chicken Brine (Must be done a day ahead)
1 gallon water
¾ cup salt
1 cup sugar
6 whole cloves of garlic, lightly smashed
A handful of sprigs of fresh thyme
Bring all ingredients to a boil. Let cool completely before submerging the chicken in brine.
Roast the Chicken
1 stick of butter (or half, depends on size of chicken. I used a stick for a 5lb chicken)
~3 sprigs Rosemary
~3 sprigs Thyme leaves (no stem)
Soften the butter so it’s in a paste form
Mix in rosemary and thyme into butter to form an herbal paste.
Dry the chicken completely, inside and out, using paper towels.
Rub the butter paste all over chicken. To make sure chicken skin is really crispy, detach the skin from the
chicken. Not completely, but so it’s not connected with the fibers. Rub the paste over and under the skin.
Roast at 375 degrees for about 1.5 hours, depending on size of chicken.
*If you want to use less butter, you can substitute the butter with olive oil and drizzle it over the chicken,
but butter makes the skin crispier. A lot of it melts off anyway.
*You can also stuff root vegetables and lemon in the cavity of the chicken for more flavor.