Howdy folks! 😊
Roast chicken is one of those classic dishes that never goes out of style. Easy to make, yet versatile in its servings 😋. It can be the centerpiece of a fancy dinner or the main dish at the Sunday family lunch. And leftovers can always go into sandwiches, salads and soups.
This recipe uses the Brining method – which you can think of as ‘marinating’. The chicken is fully submerged in a savory solution of fresh herbs and spices for between 8 -24 hours so that the flesh is fully infused with flavor, and maintains moisture. If you have time on your hands, this extra step is so worth it! 👌🏾
Here’s the full recipe below to try for yourself. I’m sure you’ll love it!
Whole Roasted Chicken
Course: MainDifficulty: Easy8
servings15
minutes1
hour20
minutesIngredients
1 Broiler Chicken (1.3kg)
1 lemon, quartered
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Chicken spice
1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper
2 Tablespoons Butter
1 Tablespoon fresh Thyme, finely chopped
2 Teaspoons fresh Rosemary, finely chopped
2 Teaspoons fresh Parsley, finely chopped
- Brine
2.5 l Water
1 Tablespoon Salt
3 Cloves Garlic
1 Lemon Quartered
1/4 cup Soy sauce
4 Sprigs Rosemary
4 Sprigs Thyme
1 Teaspoon whole Peppecorns
Directions
- Start by making sure the chicken is clean, and ready for cooking – or brining. 😊
- The step to brine the chicken is completely optional – BUT the results are totally amazing! Chicken that is moist and so infused with flavor – I can’t over emphasize the merits. 👌🏾
⛔️ However, I will state that this is better done the day before or left overnight, because you need at least 8 hours to get the full effect. Combine all the brine ingredients in a medium sized bucket, and then immerse your chicken in the liquid and cover.
*For your regular, weekday roast chicken dinner, please proceed to step 3. 😊 - 😊 Once you’re ready to cook the chicken, proceed to prepare the herb butter which will be used to coat the chicken, making the skin crispy and sealing in the moisture. 👌🏾 You’ll need to finely chop the herbs (Thyme, Parsley and Rosemary) and finely mince the garlic.
- Combine the butter with the ingredients above and mix until well integrated. Also, in a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients (salt, pepper, chicken spice) together and set aside. 😊
- Remove the chicken from the brine and pat-dry it with kitchen towel. Season the inside of the chicken with the seasoned salt, then stuff the cavity with the fresh herbs and lemon quarters. 😊
Tie the legs together with kitchen string/twine, and tuck the wings under the body of the chicken. Rub the butter mixture generously, all over the body of the chicken, sprinkle with seasoned salt, and transfer it to your roasting pan. - Roast the chicken in the oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes. 😊
If you want to be absolutely sure when its done, use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature, which must reach at least 75˚C. But after an hour and a quarter…its done. 👌🏾 - Allow the Chicken to rest for about 15 minutes before serving and carving.
Serve with your favorite sides, such as Creamy Mashed Potatoes and gravy, or Mushroom and Avo Salad.
Enjoy! 😋
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