DAY 67 RECIPE: LEMON AND ROSEMARY ROASTED CHICKEN

Todays recipe is really a beautiful specimen! A quick few tips: If the chicken is getting really brown, cover for the last portion of roasting.  AND; if you don't have a wire rack for your raosting pan, you can chop up a few big carrots  and onions (chop in large pieces) and line the bottom of your roasting pan with those, and stick your chicken on top. The carrots make a nice side as well.
I hope you all like this one as much as the fam did today!
DAY 67 RECIPE:

LEMON AND ROSEMARY ROASTED CHICKEN


INGREDIENTS:
BRINE:
1/4 Cup Sea Salt
1/4 Cup Brown Sugar
2 Cups Hot Water
4 Garlic Cloves, crushed
3 Fresh Rosemary Sprigs
4 Tbsp Peppercorns
1 Small Onion, quartered
1 Lemon, quartered
10 cups Cold Water
1 3.5 LB Roasting Chicken
ROASTING:
1 Brined Chicken, 3.5 lbs
1 + 1/2 Fresh Rosemary Sprigs, (1/2 sprig finely minced)
1 Lemon, zested and chopped, zest reserved
1 Tsp Pepper
1 Tbsp Canola Oil
1/2 Onion, sliced roughly
2 Garlic Cloves, crushed

DIRECTIONS:
BRINE:
In a large container or roasting pan dissolve salt and sugar in the hot water.
Throw in garlic, rosemary sprigs, peppercorns and onion. Squish juice from lemon pieces into the pot and throw the skins in as well.
Stir everything around. Pour 8 cups of cold water in and stir. Place chicken in, breast side DOWN. Pour remaining water over top, making sure to completely cover chicken. Cover and refrigerate UP TO 4 hours.
ROASTING:
Pre heat oven to 400 degrees.
Remove chicken from brine (discard brine solution). Pat chicken dry with papertowels.
Place Onion, lemon pieces, garlic and the whole rosemary sprig into the cavity of the chicken.
Toss together lemon zest, pepper and minced rosemary.
Place chicken in a roasting pan on a wire rack breast UP.
Brush oil over entire chicken. Sprinkle lemon zest mixture over the chicken and rub it in a little bit.
Place chicken in the oven and roast for about1 hour 45 minutes or until internal temperature is 165 degrees.