Olive Juice Brined Roast Chicken with Herb Butter
"Sustainable" is the word that comes to mind when considering how to repurpose olive brine; what might have been discarded is turned into a functional, flavor-building tool perfect for brining roast chicken. Here, flavor is enhanced when filling the cavity with citrus and herbs and massaging herb butter generously under the skin of the chicken. The result is a chicken that is beautifully seasoned without the need for heavy salting.
Equipment
- small roasting pan, cast iron skillet or baking dish
- roasting rack or two ramekins
- food processor
- airtight container or zipper bag
Ingredients
- 4- to 5- pound chicken
- 2 to 3 cups olive brine/juice (substitute pickle brine)
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ¼ cup butter, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme, substitute 1 teaspoon dried, plus sprigs
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary, substitute 1 teaspoon dried, plus sprigs
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh sage, substitute 1 teaspoon dried, plus sprigs
- kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
- 1 lemon, quartered
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Remove giblets from chicken.
- Place chicken in an airtight container or zipper bag. Whisk sugar into the olive brine and pour over the chicken. Seal the container or bag and place in the refrigerator for 4 hour or overnight, turning halfway through.
- Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before prepping. Lightly salt and pepper the inside and outside of the chicken. (The brine has salt)
- In the bowl of a food processor (or by hand), mix the minced thyme, rosemary, sage and lemon zest with the butter until combined.
- Gently separate the skin from the chicken breast, creating a pocket. Spread a few tablespoons of herb butter evenly over the breast meat, followed by coating the outside of the chicken with remaining herb butter.
- Place the quartered lemons, garlic and several sprigs of the herbs into the chicken cavity. Truss the chicken if desired.
- Place a rack inside a roasting pan and position chicken on top. Roast for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes, basting every 15 minutes while roasting until the juices run clear and a meat thermometer placed into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165°F.
- Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and allow to rest for 20 minutes. Remove the herbs and lemon quarters from the chicken cavity and carve as desired.