Feature: Blueberry Habanero
Main Dish:
Snow Day Roast Chicken
Relax with this easy roast chicken, ready when the house fills with rich aromas of sage, balsamic vinegar
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients
Brine
- 1 pound of chicken (2 leg quarters work perfectly)
- 2 cups water
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/8 cup salt
Wet Rub
- 1/4 blueberry habanero half
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/2 teaspoon pureed, fresh garlic (about one small clove)
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons rubbed sage
- 1/8 teaspoon (1 dash) salt
- 1/8 teaspoon (dash) black pepper
- Blueberry habanero to taste
Under-chook
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup cheap, dryish red wine
- 1/8 cup blueberries
Directions
Brine
- Thaw chicken
- Combine brine ingredients
- Put the chicken and brine in a container small enough that the chicken is completely submerged in the brine
- Cover the container with a lid or plastic wrap and put in the fridge for 12 – 24 hours
Prep
- Melt the butter, then combine with the rest of the rub ingredients
- Remove the chicken from the brine and discard the brine
- Pat chicken dry with paper towels
- Paint all sides of the chicken quarters with the rub
Cook
- If you’re using fresh blueberries, cut them in half
- Combine all under-chook ingredients, then pour into a casserole dish (or any oven-safe vessel) large enough to hold the chicken and under-chook without the chicken being submerged. Do not cover the pan!
- Bake for 10 minutes at 450°F
- Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and cook until the chicken’s internal temperature reaches 165°F (check it after 20 minutes)
Notes
Rubbed sage is amazing, so if you can find it you absolutely should use it. If you can’t, substitute fresh sage first, then flake or ground as a last resort.
If you scale up this recipe (which you should, because it’s amazing), still cook the chicken at 450°F for 10 minutes. Then, test it for doneness after 20 minutes times the number of pounds of chicken (ie. check after 1 hour and 40 minutes for 5 pounds of chicken). We scaled this recipe up 11 times for Thanksgiving and it was an absolute show-stopper!
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