Categories: Chicken

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup kosher salt
• 1/2 cup dark molasses
• 2 cups ice cubes
• 1 sweet onion, thinly sliced
• 2 fresh thyme sprigs
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
• 1/2 tsp black peppercorns
• 2 (4-5 lb.) whole chickens, cut into 4 pieces each (carcasses reserved)
• 1/2 tsp garlic salt
• 2 tbsp canola oil
• 8 garlic cloves, unpeeled
• 2 fresh thyme sprigs
• Roasted Chicken Jus (see recipe)

Directions

1. Bring 4 cups water to a boil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high. Add kosher salt and molasses. Reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 2-3 minutes or until salt and molasses dissolve. Transfer to a very large bowl; add ice and next 4 ingredients. Let stand, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes or until mixture cools to room temp. Cover and chill 30 minutes to 1 hour or until cold.

2. Submerge chicken in cold brine. Cover and chill 6-8 hours.

3. Preheat oven to 400. Remove chicken from brine; rinse and pat dry. Sprinkle with garlic salt.

4. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add 4 unpeeled garlic cloves, 1 thyme sprig and half of chicken. Cook 5 minutes or until skin is browned and crisp. Turn chicken and garlic, and cook 5 minutes or until browned. Remove chicken and place on a wire rack in a jelly-roll pan. Wipe skillet clean. Repeat with remaining oil, chicken, garlic and thyme.

5. Bake chicken, skin side up, at 400 for 10-20 minutes or until cooked through. Cover with foil. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with Roasted Chicken Jus.

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