Roasted Garlic Chicken with Garlic-Thyme Butter
I had intended to start my blog with full force once the hubby had returned from his Navy training...yet, as we've all learned...life can get hectic sometimes.
Just like before our separation, I've been cooking home cooked meals for my hubby since his return two weeks ago. Something he has relished even more after having to live through boot camp and "A" School galley food for the past five months. However, after our time apart (the longest we've ever been apart since we've been together) I found that instead of being on the computer sharing our meals with the world; we've been trying to get back into our old routine as best we can considering that I'm now sharing him with the Navy.
He's had the past two weeks off on leave which has been great because it's given us time to reconnect, to share the experiences we had as individuals, and to start our life as a new Navy family (a family trip to Wild Rivers, exploring the local Navy bases, laughing, cuddling, watching some of the new movies out...) We were really getting used to having him home, but...
We just found out that in a week, we're going to be separated once again for about a month. As much as it saddens me, I'm so very proud of him and his new job. I can't divulge much since his job is top secret, but he's having to leave to meet up with the admiral he'll be working under, a job that isn't usually given to anyone under E-5. So...with one week before we're separated I've decided to make him a week of meals worthy of a seafaring man starting with Roasted Garlic Chicken with Garlic-Thyme Butter. Don't worry about pungent breath with all the garlic used in this recipe. Since most of it is roasted, it takes on a more mellow, kind of sweet taste.
Of course I decide to make a roast chicken when summer weather is making the kitchen a sometimes unbearable place to be, but...for my hubby, I'll suffer a little heat...enjoy!
Roasted Garlic Chicken with Garlic-Thyme Butter
Ingredients
2 1/2 heads of garlic, roasted2 1/2 cups water
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp olive oil
3 key limes, halved and seeded (can substitute 1/2 lemon, cut into 4 wedges)
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried sage
1 (4-5 pound) whole roasting chicken
4 cloves garlic, crushed
Garlic-Thyme Butter
Garlic-Thyme Butter Recipe
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dried thyme, crushed
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
In a small bowl, blend the butter with the minced garlic and chopped thyme and season with salt and pepper.
Instructions
1. Prepare the brine by combining roasted garlic, water, salt, pepper, rosemary, thyme, sage and olive oil in a blender. Squeeze the juice from the key limes into the brine (reserve the citrus peels), blend.2. Place chicken in a large, resealable plastic bag, or in a large non-reactive bowl. Pour the brine all over the chicken in the bag, or in the bowl. Add the (already squeezed) key lime halves. Squeeze out all the air from the bag and seal, or place plastic wrap over the chicken in the bowl. Refrigerate overnight - 12 to 24 hours.
3. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Remove the chicken from the brine, pat dry.
4. Carefully loosen the breast skin of the chicken. Spread the garlic-thyme butter evenly over the breast meat then smooth out the skin. Rub any extra garlic-thyme butter all over the outside of the chicken. Sprinkle salt and pepper all over the chicken and place the crushed garlic cloves inside cavity. Place the chicken on a rack, in a roasting pan, breast side up. Roast for about an hour, until the juices run clear from the thigh when pierced with a fork. (Breast meat should have an internal temperature of 165°F, thigh meat should have an internal temperature of 175°F.)
Be sure to let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before carving and serving. This preserves the chicken's juiciness.
Posts
0 comments:
Post a Comment