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Cider Brined Roast Chicken with Apple and Herb Glaze Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.2 from 52 reviews
  • Author: Bara
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes plus 12-24 hours brining
  • Cook Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
  • Total Time: approximately 15 hours 20 minutes including brining and resting
  • Yield: 6 servings
  • Category: Main Dish
  • Method: Roasting
  • Cuisine: American

Description

This Cider Brined Roast Chicken recipe offers a tender, flavorful roast chicken infused with a subtle apple cider sweetness and aromatic herbs. The chicken is brined in a cider-based solution for up to 24 hours to enhance juiciness, then roasted with a fragrant compound butter and finished with a maple and cider glaze. Served with baked Gala apples and a rich pan gravy, this dish is perfect for a comforting yet elegant meal.

Ingredients

Brine Ingredients

  • 2 L water
  • 4 cups apple cider
  • 1 cup kosher salt (plus extra for seasoning)
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • 12-14 sprigs fresh thyme (divided)
  • 1 tbsp peppercorns
  • 1 L ice water

Main Ingredients

  • 6-7 lb roaster chicken
  • ½ cup butter (softened)
  • 3 sprigs fresh sage (divided)
  • 1 orange
  • ½ tsp pepper (divided)
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 3 Gala apples
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
  • ⅓ cup flour
  • extra chicken broth or apple cider, as needed

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Brine: Combine 2 L water, 4 cups apple cider, 1 cup kosher salt, and ½ cup brown sugar in a large pot. Tie 3-4 thyme sprigs and add them with peppercorns. Heat until salt and sugar dissolve.
  2. Cool and Brine the Chicken: Pour the hot brine into 1 L ice water in a large container. Add the chicken breast side down, submerge fully, cover, and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.
  3. Dry the Chicken: An hour before roasting, remove the chicken from brine, discard brine, pat dry, and place on a rack at room temperature to air dry for 1 hour.
  4. Make Compound Butter: In a bowl, mix softened butter with finely chopped 1 tbsp each of thyme and sage, zest of half an orange, ½ tsp kosher salt, and ¼ tsp pepper.
  5. Set Aside Butter: Measure out 2 tbsp of the compound butter for later use.
  6. Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat oven to 350°F. Slice onion thickly, halve the orange (slice one half), peel garlic cloves, and gather remaining thyme and sage sprigs.
  7. Prepare Roasting Pan: Drizzle olive oil in pan, scatter onion, orange slices, garlic, thyme, and sage. Place a rack over the pan and put the chicken on top. Stuff remaining orange half and thyme into the chicken cavity.
  8. Butter and Tie Chicken: Rub remaining compound butter over chicken and under breast skin if desired. Tuck wings under, tie legs together with twine.
  9. Start Roasting: Pour 1 cup apple cider into pan. Roast uncovered for 1 hour, cover with foil if uneven browning occurs.
  10. Prepare Apples and Brush Butter: Cut apples in half. Melt 1 tbsp compound butter. After 1 hour roasting, remove chicken, nestle apples around it cut side up, brush apples with melted butter.
  11. Continue Roasting and Prepare Glaze: Roast for 30-45 minutes more. Meanwhile, reduce 1½ cups apple cider over medium heat until halved (7-10 minutes), whisk in maple syrup and remaining 1 tbsp compound butter, boil 2 more minutes.
  12. Check Temperature and Glaze Chicken: After 1½ to 1¾ hours roasting, check chicken breast temperature (about 140°F). Remove foil and brush generously with glaze. Roast 10 minutes, then brush with remaining glaze.
  13. Finish Roasting: Continue roasting until internal temperature reaches 165°F and juices run clear.
  14. Rest and Prepare Gravy: Transfer chicken and apples to platter, tent with foil. Strain pan juices, remove fat (~¼ cup) back into pan, add butter if needed.
  15. Make Roux and Gravy: Heat pan over medium-high. Whisk flour into fat, add pan juices (about 3 cups), supplement with broth or cider as needed, whisk to smooth. Simmer, season with ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper, adjust seasoning, strain.
  16. Serve: Carve chicken into legs, wings, breasts slices. Arrange apples around chicken on platter. Serve with pan gravy.

Notes

  • Ensure the chicken is fully submerged in the brine to maximize flavor and moisture retention.
  • Air drying the chicken before roasting helps achieve crispy skin.
  • Using an instant-read thermometer prevents under or overcooking.
  • Roasting time may vary based on chicken size; always check internal temperature.
  • Maple syrup adds a subtle sweetness balancing the tang of apple cider.
  • Leftover gravy can be refrigerated and reheated for later use.

Find it online: https://yumbara.com/cider-brined-roast-chicken-with-apple-and-herb-glaze-recipe/