MASTERING THE VERY BEST ROAST CHICKEN

Serves: 4

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MASTERING THE VERY BEST ROAST CHICKEN

Ready in: 1 H & 30 MTotal time: 1 H & 30 M

Think big, crisp, and gloriously golden and you have a roast chicken that reigns supreme. It’s a tall but simple order and one that is achieved through tireless experimentation. Lucky for you, we’ve done the work for you.My Mom, Lana, has always made a pretty delicious roast chicken. But every recipe has room for improvement, and over the years, we have enjoyed wonderful hours of cooking together, and many roast chickens. And today, we think we have added a necessary and juicy, delicious component to our family recipe. With Thomas Keller’s inspiration, our brine just got better, and we had to share it with you.The very best roast chicken is brined in a lemony, aromatic, herbaceous mixture of salt, honey, herbs, lemon, and more. After 12 hours of a delightful swim, the chicken comes out of the brine plumped and flavorful. A boost of flavor from thyme and lemon adds to the chicken’s aroma and essence during cooking, and the high heat is credited for moist, juicy meat and crisp, scrumptious skin. Resting the bird is essential, to guarantee success. So try our recipe…and please let us know how splendidly your Sunday Dinner turns out.

Ingredients

FOR THE BRINE:

• 10 cups water
• 1/4 cup kosher salt
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 4 bay leaves
• 6 unpeeled garlic cloves
• 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
• 4 large rosemary sprigs
• 1/2 bunch thyme
• 1/2 bunch parsley
• 3 strips lemon peel, yellow only (use a peeler!)
• Juice of 1 lemon
• One 4-pound roasting chicken
• Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 2 bunches of fresh thyme
• 1 lemon, cut in quarters
• 2 dozen garlic cloves, peeled
• 2-3 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 large yellow onion, peeled & thickly sliced
• 1 large red onion, peeled & thickly sliced
• 4 carrots, peeled and left whole
• 4 parsnips, peeled and cut in half lengthwise
• 2 bulbs of fennel, tops removed & bulb sliced medium thickness
• 10 baby red or white potatoes, halved
• 3 tablespoons good quality olive oil

Instructions

1. Combine the Brine ingredients in a large, non-reactive pot and stir to dissolve the salt and honey. Rinse the chicken well and add it to the brine. Refrigerate for 12 hours.
2. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Remove the chicken from the brine and rinse it well, then pat dry. Discard the brine. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken.
3. Stuff the cavity with one bunch of thyme, the lemon quarters, and 12 cloves of garlic. Using your fingers, coat the outside of the chicken with the butter and season with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with the kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken.
4. Place the sliced onions, carrots, parsnips, fennel, potatoes, and the remaining 12 cloves of garlic in a large roasting pan. Toss with salt, pepper, 1 bunch of thyme, and a few tablespoons of olive oil. Spread around the bottom of the roasting pan and place the chicken on top.
5. Roast the chicken for 1 1/4 hours, or until the juices run clear when you puncture the thigh area. Remove the chicken to a platter and cover with aluminum foil to rest for about 10 minutes (The juices will re-circulate and you will enjoy a moister bird.). Slice the chicken and serve it with the vegetables from the roasting pan.
6. Chef's Tip: Roasting two chickens at once leaves plenty of leftovers for salads and sandwiches!

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