ROASTED HERB BRINED CHICKEN

Ingredients

• 4 quarts water
• 1 cup kosher salt
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 tbsp rosemary, crumbled
• 1 1/2 tsp coarsely ground pepper
• 1 tsp thyme, crumbled
• 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 broiler chicken (3 lb)

Directions

1. To prepare brine, combine all ingredients except chicken in a Dutch oven. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve salt and sugar.
2. Remove from heat; cool completely. Pour brine into a large food-safe nonreactive container.
3. Submerge chicken in brine. As chicken will float, weigh it down using a plate with a jar of water on it. Keep chicken submerged completely. Cover container and refrigerate for 4 hours.
4. Remove chicken from brine; discard brine.
5. Rinse chicken under cold running water; pat chicken dry with paper towels.
6. Place chicken, breast side up, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Roast at 500ºF for 20 minutes.
7. Reduce temperature to 450ºF and continue roasting for 30 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into chicken registers 180ºF.
8. Transfer chicken to a platter and cover with foil. Let stand for 10 minutes before carving.