Roasted chicken

Roasted chicken

Ingredients: 

• Whole chicken 

• Lemons 

• Orange 

• Paprika 

• Star anise 

• Salt 

• Pepper

• Butter 

• Rosemary 

• Thyme 

• Sage

Method: In a non-reactive container, add 1/3 cup of salt, juice, and rind of 2 lemons, zest of an orange, two tablespoons of paprika, 2-star anise, rosemary, thyme, sage, add hot water to the container and stir till salt is completely dissolved. Add chicken. Ensure that the water is covering the chicken. Allow to sit for 12-24 hours covered in the bottom of your fridge.

Preheat your oven to 450˚F. Remove the chicken from the brine and place it on a baking sheet with a cooling rack in it. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Finely chop rosemary thyme and sage (no stems please) and place in a bowl with three tablespoons of softened, not melted, butter. Mix herbs into the butter. Take the butter and split it into 3 equal pieces. Place 2 of the pieces under the skin over the breasts of the chicken. This can be done by inserting a finger below the skin and separating the skin from the body. Spread the butter below the skin as evenly as you can. With the remaining butter spread it on the surface of the skin. Sprinkle with a little salt. Insert your temperature probe into the thickest part of the breast, ensuring that you are not touching a bone. Set your thermometer to 165˚F. Place your chicken legs towards the back, pushing the sheet to the end of the oven. 

Once an internal temperature of 165˚F is reached, remove and allow to rest for 20 min. Carve and server.