Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients (for the brine)
1 whole Smart Chicken
¼ ounce fresh thyme leaves, roughly chopped
1 ounce fresh sage leaves, roughly chopped
1 orange, cut into rings
3 dried bay leaves
8 black peppercorns
¼ cup kosher salt
⅓ cup brown sugar
2 cups Smart Chicken Classic Bone Broth
2 cups ice water
Directions
Place all of the ingredients except the chicken and ice water in a small pot and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and let steep for 5 minutes. Place the 2 cups of ice water in a bowl with the contents of the pot. Stir to cool. Place in the refrigerator to cool completely if needed. After the brine is completely cooled, submerge the chicken in it to cover. It works well to put it all in a large plastic bag, and place in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, but no more than 12 hours.
Ingredients (to roast the chicken)
1 onion, diced large
5 ribs celery, diced large
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 bunch sage
1 orange
4 tablespoons melted butter
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Once the brining is complete, remove the chicken from the liquid, discarding the liquid, and pat the chicken dry. Set aside.
Peel the orange with a potato peeler, reserving the skin, discarding the meat. Sprinkle the inside and outside of the chicken with the black pepper. Mix the vegetables together and stuff as much in the cavity of the chicken that will fit along with half of the orange peel and half of the sage. Place the remaining vegetables, orange peel and sage in the bottom of a roasting pan. Set the chicken on top of the vegetables and generously baste with all of the melted butter. Place the pan in the preheated oven on the middle rack and roast for approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into the inner fold of the thigh and leg reads 165°F. Remove from the oven and tent with foil. Let rest for 20 minutes before serving.