Roast Chicken

 

Ingredients

  • Brine:
  • 12 cups water
  • 1/2 cup apple cider
  • 1/3 cup kosher salt
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp light brown sugar
  • 5 large garlic cloves, halved
  • 10 thyme sprigs
  • 2 rosemary sprigs
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Chicken:
  • 1 tbsp kosher salt
  • 2 thyme sprigs
  • 2 rosemary sprigs
  • 1 lemon, halved
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 shallot, finely chopped (2 tbsp)
  • 1 tbsp finely chopped flat parsley
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 tsp pepper

Instructions

  1. Make the brine: assemble all ingredients in a Dutch Oven or Le Crueset. Bring to simmer over medium high heat, stirring, until salt and sugar dissolve (1 minute). remove from heat and cool completely, at least 2 hours.
  2. Make the chicken: Remove giblets. Place in the pot with the brine. Cover and chill overnight or at least 8 hours.
  3. Preheat oven to 300F. Remove chicken from brine and dry with paper towels. Discard brine. Season chicken all over and stuff cavity with thyme, rosemary, 2 tbsp butter and lemon. Transfer to a 12" cast iron skillet. Grease foil with butter and Pam spray, and tent the chicken with it, sealing the edges. Bake in preheated oven until thigh registers 150F (1:50 to 2 hours). Remove chicken from oven and turn on the broiler. Preheat oven for 5 minutes, then remove foil and broil chicken until golden brown, about 12 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before carving. Meanwhile, add shallots and 2 tbsp butter to the cast iron skillet with the juices and cook, stirring often, until butter begins to brown (3 minutes). remove from heat and stir in parsley, thyme, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste. Serve sauce with carved chicken.