Moist and Tasty Herb Roasted Chicken

Moist and tasty comes to mind when you eat this chicken, so it had to be named that way.  The moistness comes from the brining process and the taste from the buttery infusion of fresh herbs. The bird is roasted atop onions, carrots, and celery to infuse more flavour into the drippings. Rinse the bird well after brining to remove any excess salt. When I make my gravy I always taste the gravy before I add salt and I usually do not need to add any due to the brining process. I serve roast chicken with creamy mashed potatoes and roasted vegetables. Comfort food at its best!

Ingredients:

Roasting chicken ( about 2kg or 4 lbs) Brined, see instructions below
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
½ teaspoon dried oregano (fresh if you can find it)
½ teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
Fresh ground black pepper
3 Tablespoons soft butter

Brining Chicken:
2 litres or 2 quarts cold water
½ Cup Kosher salt
½ Cup granulated sugar
In a large pot dissolve the salt and the sugar in the cold water. Submerge the chicken in the brine. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

If you cook two chickens like I usually do then simply double brining ingredients.

When brining complete remove chicken, rinse well and pat with paper towels to dry.

The meat is now ready to be seasoned and cooked.


Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Mix 2 tablespoons of butter with the herbs

Spread the butter under the skin of the breast, do this by gently loosening the skin away from the flesh of the chicken.

Rub the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter on the outside of the well dried chicken.

Season with fresh ground black pepper.

In the bottom of the roasting pan quarter two onions, cut up a couple of carrots and cut up a couple of celery sticks.

Place rack overtop of vegetables

Place chicken on roasting rack. Cover.

Roast chicken until the thickest portion of the breast reaches 170 degrees on a thermometer.

when chicken is almost cooked increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees. Remove lid from roasting pan and continue cooking until the chicken is a beautiful golden brown.

Remove the chicken from the roaster. Tent the bird with tin foil to keep warm.

Strain the liquid from the vegetables to make the gravy.

You should not have to add very much or any salt to the gravy because of the brining, but always check to make sure before you add salt.

Print Recipe:Moist and Tasty Herb Roasted Chicken

Combine brine ingredients. Stir well to dissolve sugar and salt.

Submerge chicken in water. Here I am brining two birds. Just double recipe. Brine for 1 hour.

Remove chicken, rinse bird well under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels.

Combine butter and herbs to make a paste.

Gently slide your fingers under the skin of the breast to detach the skin from the flesh.

Insert the butter mixture 

Press to distribute evenly.

Rub remaining butter over chicken.

Add onions, carrots, and celery to roasting pan.

Place a rack over top. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place chicken or chickens on rack. Top with freshly ground black pepper.Roast covered in the oven until nicely golden brown and cooked though. 

Remove chicken from the pan. Strain vegetables and throw away and make gravy with the drippings.