Brining overnight in a salt-and-cider mixture makes this chicken
incredibly flavorful and moist; basting with reduced apple cider
adds a hint of sweetness to the finished chicken. Use tongs to
carefully remove skin from the hot chicken.
Yield: 8 servings
Serving size: about 4 ounces chicken and about 1 tablespoon jus
3 quarts water
1 quart apple cider
1/4 cup kosher salt
1 Tbsp black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
1 (6-lb) roasting chicken
2 cups apple cider
1 large onion, peeled and halved
4 flat-leaf parsley sprigs
4 garlic cloves, peeled
Combine the first 5 ingredients in a saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring
until salt dissolves. Remove from heat; cool completely. Remove and
discard giblets and neck from chicken. Rinse chicken with cold water;
pat dry. Trim excess fat. Pour brine into a 2-gallon zip-top plastic
bag. Add chicken; seal. Refrigerate 8 hours or overnight, turning the
bag occasionally.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Bring 2 cups cider to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat.
Cook until cider has thickened and reduced to 1/4 cup (about 15 minutes).
Set aside.
Remove chicken from bag; discard brine. Pat chicken dry with paper
towels. Place the onion halves, parsley, and garlic into cavity. Lift
wing tips up and over back; tuck under chicken. Tie legs. Place
chicken on rack of a broiler pan. Bake at 400 degrees F for 1 hour
and 30 minutes or until thermometer registers 175 degrees F. Remove
from oven (do not turn oven off). Carefully remove and discard skin.
Baste chicken with half of reduced cider; return to 400 degrees F oven
for
10 minutes. Remove from oven; baste with remaining cider reduction.
Transfer chicken to a platter.
Place a zip-top plastic bag inside a 2-cup glass measure. Pour drippings
into bag; let stand 10 minutes (fat will rise to the top). Seal bag;
carefully snip off 1 bottom corner of bag. Drain drippings into a small
bowl, stopping before fat layer reaches opening; discard fat. Serve
jus over chicken.
Yield: 8 servings
Serving size: about 4 ounces chicken and about 1 tablespoon jus
Nutrition per Serving:
224 Calories, 29% from fat, 7.1g Fat, 2g Sat, 2.7g Mono, 1.7g Poly,
26.9g Protein, 11.3g Carbs, 0.4g Fiber, 80mg Cholesterol,
1.4mg Iron, 452mg Sodium, 26mg Calcium
