Herb Roasted Chicken with Roasted Radishes

Recipe courtesy of Sean Fowler
as seen on episode “Chicken”, season 5

Ingredients:

• 1 3.5 lb. Joyce Farms Poulet Rouge
• 1 gallon of brine (see recipe below)
• 2 lemons
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed
• 6 Tbsp of butter, room temperature softened
• Pinch of salt
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• cracked black pepper
• 1 small onion, peeled and quarter
• 1 bunch thyme
• 8 sprigs parsley
• butcher’s twine
• 2 bunches of baby radishes, washed with tops removed
• 1 bunch of winter greens (turnips, kale, or mustards)
• ½ cup grated parmesan
• ½ cup chopped parsley

Brine the chicken for 6 hours in the refrigerator. Remove the bird from the brine and allow it to rest for an hour. Preheat the oven to 450⁰ F. Zest one of the lemons. Juice the lemon and save the juice for later. Combine the softened butter, garlic, and lemon zest together in a food processor. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Gently rub the butter underneath the skin of the chicken until evenly distributed.

Rub the outside of the skin with the olive oil. Lightly season with salt and cracked black pepper. Slice the un-zested lemon. Stuff the bird’s cavity with the onion, thyme, parsley and sliced lemon. Tie the chicken’s legs with the butcher’s twine, place it on a roasting rack, and place the chicken in the oven. Roast the chicken for 15 minutes at this temperature. Baste the chicken with the pan juices and then reduce the heat to 400⁰ F. Continue cooking for about 15 minutes longer. Baste the chicken with the pan juices, and extract ½ cup of the pan juices form the roasting pan. Continue cooking the chicken for about 35-45 minutes longer or until the thickest part of the thigh measures 160⁰ F on a meat thermometer. You can baste it once more.

Meanwhile toss your radishes in the pan drippings and season them with salt and pepper. Spread them evenly on a baking sheet and place them on a different rack in the same oven. The radishes and chicken should be done at about the same time. Remove the chicken and the radishes from the oven and allow the chicken to rest. Place your turnip greens in a large sauté pan over medium low heat. Scrape the radishes and pan drippings from the baking sheet over the turnip greens, gently toss them together. Add the reserved lemon juice and a pinch of salt and pepper. Transfer the vegetables to a serving platter and garnish them with the Parmesan and parsley. Place the chicken on top of the vegetables and serve hot.

For the Chicken Brine

Ingredients:

• 2 quarts water
• 1 cup kosher salt
• ½ cup sugar
• 4 bay leaves
• 1 bunch of thyme
• 2 sprigs rosemary
• 1 head of garlic, cut in half
• 3 quarts of ice

Bring all of the ingredients except the ice to a boil. Cut back the heat and allow it to steep for 10-20 minutes. Add the ice and refrigerate until ready to use.

Tags: Chicken, Herb Roasted Chicken, Roasted Radishes

Category: Recipes