
A roast chicken is a perfect Sunday meal. This popped up in my Facebook memories and reminded me of how a brine can bring amazing end results. I must try again.
Simple Brine Recipe
This brine designed for turkey but works perfectly well for a roast chicken. The ingredients below are for a turkey brine. For the chicken picture above, I used 2 oranges and 1/2 of a lemon.
1 cup Kosher Salt
1 cup brown Sugar
5 Oranges – sliced
3 Lemon – sliced
Fresh herbs – Sage, Rosemary and Thyme – chopped
Submerge your fresh bird in water for 24 hours in the refrigerator with your brine ingredients. Drain water, rinse your bird, pat dry and air dry in the refrigerator on a cookie seat with a rack for another four hours to help achieve a crispy bird.
I cover my chicken with a mixture of olive oil, butter and herbs. No real measurements involved. I am especially fond of thyme. Make sure to keep the weight from the package to determine cooking time. I often cook at 350F but sometimes higher for a crispier skin. I always consult a cooking guide before. Make sure to check the internal temperature of your chicken and/or turkey to make sure it is cooked. Let your chicken sit for 15-20 minutes once out of the oven to let the juices flow through. Serve with your favourite roasted vegetables and potatoes – which you could put into your pan during cooking – or anything you else you may fancy.
Enjoy!