Rosemont’s Roasted Chicken

When the weekend forecast dips into the 40s and the oven starts feeling like the coziest spot in the house, it’s roasted chicken season. Our go-to method roasts the bird breast side down, so the juices baste the breast as it cooks. We start with an overnight dry brine for crispy skin, roast it over a bed of local apples and fall vegetables with a slice of Rosemont bread to catch the drippings, and finish with a quick apple cider pan sauce. Every step works on a Thanksgiving turkey too, so roast a few chickens this fall and you’ll be ready for the big day.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 Tide Mill Farm whole chicken (about 4 lbs)
• 1 Tbsp kosher salt, plus more for the vegetables
• 3 Tbsp olive oil, divided (we recommend Olive Harvest)
• Freshly ground black pepper
• A few sprigs of fresh thyme
• 4 carrots, cut into chunks
• 2 leeks, cleaned and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 fennel bulb, cut into wedges
• 1 delicata squash, seeded and sliced into rings
• 2 local apples, quartered and cored
• 2 thick slices day-old Rosemont White Boule

For the cider pan sauce

• 1 cup apple cider
• ½ cup Kettle & Fire Chicken Bone Broth
• 2 Tbsp cold butter
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard (optional)

Method

1. The night before: Pat the chicken dry and sprinkle the salt all over, inside and out. Set it on a plate and refrigerate uncovered overnight, up to 24 hours. The skin dries out and roasts up extra crispy.
2. Preheat your oven to 375°F. Toss the vegetables and apples with 1 Tbsp olive oil and a pinch of salt, and spread them in a large roasting pan or cast iron skillet. Lay the bread slices in the center.
3. Rub the chicken with the remaining oil and season with pepper. Tuck the thyme inside, then set the bird breast side down on top of the bread.
4. Roast for about 1 hour. Carefully flip the chicken breast side up (a couple of folded paper towels help), raise the oven to 425°F, and roast 15 to 20 minutes more, until the skin is golden, the leg wiggles loosely at the joint, and a thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh reads 165°F.
5. Move the chicken to a cutting board to rest for 15 minutes. Scoop the vegetables and bread onto a platter.
6. Make the pan sauce: Spoon off most of the fat, set the pan over medium-high heat, and add the cider and broth. Scrape up all the browned bits and simmer until reduced by about half, 5 to 8 minutes. Off the heat, whisk in the butter and Dijon.
7. Carve, and serve with the vegetables, the drippings-soaked bread, and plenty of sauce.

Thanksgiving Practice Notes

• Dry brine: Same method for a turkey, just give it 1 to 3 days in the fridge.
• Flip and finish hot: Starting breast side down keeps the breast juicy; finishing breast up browns the skin.
• Pan sauce: Use the same steps with more broth and a little flour for a quick gravy.