Church Chicken

Time: Brine overnight; Bake 1.5 – 2 hours

Music Selection: Coldplay – Everyday Life

This is an oldie but a great recipe. It was one my grandma made on Sundays – she’d put it all in the oven while we were at church and when we’d get home, there would be this amazing aroma and delicious meal waiting… I hope you make this meal part of your everyday life, too!

Ingredients:

1 large chicken

2 lemons

Bundle fresh rosemary

3 cloves garlic

3 carrots

½ head of cabbage

3 parsnips

2 onions

1 cup salt

6 – 10 cups water

Olive oil

Salt/pepper

Directions:

The night before making the chicken, place salt and water in a large pot. Mix well until salt dissolves. Cut the lemons in half and place in water. Cut the garlic in half and add to water with the rosemary and chicken. Ensure the chicken is covered in water. Place in fridge and let set overnight and until you are ready to roast the chicken.

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About 2 ½ hours before eating, get a large roasting pan and put some olive oil on the bottom of the pan. Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.

Peel the carrots and parsnips and cut in quarters (in half both ways). Place in roaster. Cut the onions in quarters and place in roaster. Cut the cabbage into 1 inch wedges and place in roaster. Salt and pepper the vegetables.

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Take chicken out of the brine and pat dry with a paper towel. Place on vegetables. Take the lemons, rosemary and garlic out of the brine and place in the inside cavity of the chicken. Take some olive oil and brush all over the chicken, then salt/pepper the chicken. Put in oven with lid off for about 30 – 45 minutes until chicken is very brown. Then put lid on and lower oven temperature to 325 degrees. Cook another hour to 90 minutes until chicken is fully cooked.

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Remove chicken and vegetables. There should be plenty of liquid in the pan to make gravy. Let chicken rest for 15 minutes, then cut and serve with the vegetables and gravy!

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