This succulent cider brined roast chicken, seasoned with fresh orange and herbs and a reduced cider and maple glaze is the perfect entrée for your next autumnal feast.
In the Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Ichabod Crane enjoys a variety of roast meats at the Van Tassel's autumnal feast. Succulent roast chicken is always a favourite and this cider brined version is a celebration of the fall apple harvest. Apple cider is used to brine the chicken and to create a reduced cider and maple glaze. The chicken and baked apples are bathed in an herb and orange compound butter and served with a rich pan gravy. This cider brined roast chicken is the perfect star for your next autumnal feast.
Why Brine Meat?
There are several advantages to brining meat. It adds flavour and keeps the meat moist and juicy. Meat submerged in a brine solution will naturally absorb some of the liquid along with the seasoning. This ensures that the meat is seasoned throughout and not just on the surface. A brine can be as simple as water and salt but it’s also a great canvas for adding even more flavours. Here I add apple cider and herbs to the brine which impart a subtle apple flavour while keeping this roast chicken tender and juicy.
Ingredient Notes
Chicken: I recommend choosing a 6 to 7 lb roaster chicken for this recipe. The cooking times in this recipe are based on a 6 to 7 lb bird. If your chicken is smaller the roasting time will be less. Use an instant read thermometer to ensure the chicken is properly cooked. Alternatively, you can use a small turkey.
Apple cider: Apple cider in the brining liquid imparts a subtle apple flavour and sweetness to the chicken. The addition of cider to the roasting pan boosts the apple flavour in the pan gravy while a reduced cider and maple glaze is the finishing touch on this spectacular autumnal cider brined chicken.
Kosher salt: This brine recipe calls for kosher salt which is less salty than regular, table salt. If you use table salt then reduce the amount by half.
Butter: rub an orange and fresh herb compound butter over the chicken before roasting and season the baked apples with the butter for even more seasonal flavour.
Apples: I typically use Gala apples in this recipe. They tend to hold their shape very well after roasting. Add them to the roasting pan after 1 hour so they are fully cooked and tender by the time the chicken is ready. If your chicken is less than 6 lbs, then add the apples sooner (after about 45 minutes).
How to Make Cider Brined Roast Chicken
When brining any meat, you will need to start the day before. You can let the chicken sit in the brine anywhere from 12 to 24 hours.
Brine the chicken
To prepare the brine add the 2 L of water, apple cider, kosher salt, brown sugar, thyme bundle and peppercorns to a large pot. Heat just until the sugar and kosher salt are fully dissolved. You don’t need to boil the brine.
Add the ice water to a large plastic tub or stainless pot. Pour the brine into the ice water. Make sure the brine is not warm when you add the chicken. Place the chicken into the brine with the breast side down. Press down on the chicken so that it is fully submerged.
Cover the container and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.
Prep the roasting pan
Remove the chicken from the brine and pat it dry at least one hour before you intend to roast the chicken. Let the chicken sit out on a rack to allow the skin to dry off as much as possible and come up to room temperature.
Drizzle a large roasting pan with the olive oil. Scatter in the sliced onion, oranges, garlic cloves, and sprigs of fresh thyme and sage. Place a rack on top of the aromatics. Transfer the chicken to the rack.
Prepare the compound butter
While the chicken is air drying you can prepare the compound butter. In a small bowl combine the softened butter, fresh thyme, fresh sage, orange zest, kosher salt, and pepper. Mix well with a spatula. Remove 2 tablespoons of the butter and set aside for later.
Roast the chicken
Preheat the oven to 350 deg F. A 6 to 7 lb chicken will take 2 to 2 ½ hours to roast at this temperature. Due to the cider in the brine I recommend roasting the chicken at this lower temperature which can take longer. The sugars in the cider and brine will cause the chicken to brown quicker and darker than usual. For that reason it is better to roast the chicken slower and at a lower temperature. You may need to cover the chicken partially if any dark spots develop.
Stuff the remaining half orange and a sprig of thyme into the cavity of the chicken. Pull the legs together and use twine to tie them tightly together. Tuck the wing tips under the bird.
Rub the remaining compound butter over the whole top of the chicken. I like to rub some of the butter under the skin of the breast. Be sure to cover the breasts, legs, thighs, and wings with the compound butter.
Pour 1 cup of apple cider into the roasting pan and then place the pan in the preheated oven. Roast the chicken for 1 hour. Check the chicken occasionally to see if it is getting dark in places. If there are parts of the skin that are getting too dark, cover them with a piece of foil and continue roasting. I often wrap foil over the ends of the drumsticks to prevent them from getting too dark.
Prep the baked apples
Cut the apples in half. Melt 1 tablespoon of the remaining compound butter in a small bowl. After the chicken has been roasting for about an hour remove it from the oven. Baste the chicken with the pan juices and then nestle the apples cut side up around the roasting pan. Brush the apples with the melted compound butter.
If the chicken is getting too dark in places, cover them with pieces of foil. Return the chicken to the oven. The chicken pictured here has been roasting for 1 hour. At this point, I wrapped a piece of foil around the legs and draped a strip of foil over the middle of the breasts to cover the dark parts.
Make the cider and maple glaze
In a small saucepan bring the apple cider to a boil. Let boil for 7 to 10 minutes until it has reduced by about half. Add the maple syrup and whisk together. Whisk in the remaining 1 tablespoon of the compound butter and bring to a boil. Let the glaze boil for another couple of minutes until it has reduced slightly.
Glaze the chicken
Check the temperature of the chicken after about 1 ¾ hours using an instant read thermometer. Check at the thick part of the breast near the leg. Do not touch the bone while taking the temperature or it may result in an inaccurate reading. When the chicken reaches around 145/150 deg F it is time to start glazing.
Remove any foil covering the tops of the chicken. Brush the bird generously with the cider and maple glaze. Roast uncovered for another 10 minutes and then repeat. Continue roasting until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of at least 165 deg F. Another way of telling the chicken is done is to carefully tip the roasting pan and check the juices running from the cavity. If the juices are still pink, keep roasting. The chicken is fully cooked when the juices from the cavity are clear.
Transfer the cooked apples and chicken to a platter and tent loosely with foil while preparing the pan gravy.
Make the pan gravy
Strain the juices into a measuring cup. Spoon the fat from the top of the juices back into the roast pan. You need approximately ¼ cup of fat. Add some butter if there isn’t enough fat from the juices.
Place the roasting pan back on the stove top. Heat the pan over high heat. Add the flour to the pan and whisk into the fat to make a roux. Measure the remaining pan juices – there should be about 3 cups. If necessary, add a bit of chicken broth or cider to reach 3 cups.
Begin adding the broth in batches to the roux, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Once all the broth has been added bring the pan gravy to a simmer. Add the kosher salt and pepper then taste. Adjust the seasoning if needed.
Serve the Cider Brined Roast Chicken
To serve, carve the chicken into pieces. Cut the legs off each side of the chicken and then split the drumstick from the thigh. Cut the wings off. Slice each breast off the breastbone. Slice each breast into 3 or 4 slices. Transfer the chicken to a serving platter. Arrange the apples around the edge of the chicken. Serve with the pan gravy and enjoy!
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow: The Feast
Check out The Legend of Sleepy Hollow: The Feast master post for more Sleepy Hollow inspired recipes in this series.
Pies -
Toffee Apple Pie with Vanilla Custard, Pumpkin Cheese Pie with Gingersnap Crust
Donuts -
Hot Buttered Rum Glazed Crullers, Peach Crisp Donuts
Cakes -
Gingerbread Stout Bundt, Spiced Mead Honey Cake
Preserves -
Savoury -
Cider Brined Roast Chicken, Spiced Cherry and Port Glazed Ham, Cheesy Orzo Kale Stuffed Pumpkins
Cocktails -
Katrina Van Tassel's Spiced Apricot Cocktail, The Headless Horseman Burnt Honey Old Fashioned, Gunpowder Fig and Rosemary Cocktail
This was incredible! My family loved it. The roasted apples and onions are even tastier than the chicken!
Thanks Jennifer! I'm so glad that you and your family enjoyed it 🙂
How do you think this would work for Cornish hens? Sometimes they can be dry. And of course the cooking time would have to be reduced.
Hi Jan, yes, this recipe should work well with Cornish hens and as you said, the cooking time will certainly need to be reduced. Given their small size, I might also keep the brining time to 12 hours or less. Hope this helps!
How do you think this would work for Cornish hens? Sometimes they can be dry. And of course the cooking time would have to be reduced.
Hi Jan, yes, this recipe should work well with Cornish hens and as you said, the cooking time will certainly need to be reduced. Given their small size, I might also keep the brining time to 12 hours or less. Hope this helps!
Should I double the recipe for a turkey??
Hi Aimee, depending on the size of the turkey, you will most likely need to double the recipe. With a small turkey you might be able to get away with a single recipe, anything over 9-10 lb might need more brine, compound butter etc. Hope this helps!
Should I double the recipe for a turkey??
Hi Aimee, depending on the size of the turkey, you will most likely need to double the recipe. With a small turkey you might be able to get away with a single recipe, anything over 9-10 lb might need more brine, compound butter etc. Hope this helps!
Would this recipe work with duck instead of chicken? I am planning on making a roast duck for me and my husband for thanksgiving and this recipe sounds like it would be delicious!
Hi Kathryn, thanks for reaching out 😊 While I haven’t actually tried this recipe using duck it should work fine. I would suggest reducing the brine time to between 8-12 hours and you will likely need to reduce the roasting time too depending on the size of the bird. Hope this helps!
Would this recipe work with duck instead of chicken? I am planning on making a roast duck for me and my husband for thanksgiving and this recipe sounds like it would be delicious!
Hi Kathryn, thanks for reaching out 😊 While I haven’t actually tried this recipe using duck it should work fine. I would suggest reducing the brine time to between 8-12 hours and you will likely need to reduce the roasting time too depending on the size of the bird. Hope this helps!
Can't wait to make this for my halloween party. How would the cooking times change if I wanted to serve 12 people? (12lb bird?)
Hi Emma, thanks for reaching out! You might be hard pressed to find a chicken that large. Depending on the size of the birds, as some grocery store chickens can be small, you will want to cook 2 - 3 birds. For whole chickens, estimate about a pound per person. The brine and compound butter/glaze ingredients can be doubled as needed. You could also use a turkey (10-12 lb) instead. Let me know if that helps and if you have any other questions 🙂
Can't wait to make this for my halloween party. How would the cooking times change if I wanted to serve 12 people? (12lb bird?)
Hi Emma, thanks for reaching out! You might be hard pressed to find a chicken that large. Depending on the size of the birds, as some grocery store chickens can be small, you will want to cook 2 - 3 birds. For whole chickens, estimate about a pound per person. The brine and compound butter/glaze ingredients can be doubled as needed. You could also use a turkey (10-12 lb) instead. Let me know if that helps and if you have any other questions 🙂
How much garlic? I didn’t see that listed as an ingredient. Thanks!
Hi Carrie, thanks for catching that! I have updated the recipe 🙂
How much garlic? I didn’t see that listed as an ingredient. Thanks!
Hi Carrie, thanks for catching that! I have updated the recipe 🙂
This was so good! Chicken was super tender and delicious! Mine was a 7 lb bird and was fully cooked by the first temp. I was worried it would be dry after glazing and putting it back in the oven but it wasn't. My gravy was very tangy. But still tasty. The directions say to use cloves of garlic but the ingredient list doesn't incorporate them. So I just measured with my heart. This recipe was excellent for October and will be on my regular fall rotation!
Hi Keri, thank you so much! I'm so glad that you enjoyed the recipe, it's definitely a fall favourite for me too 🙂 and thanks for pointing out about the garlic. I have updated the recipe, although it can certainly be adjusted per personal taste!
This was so good! Chicken was super tender and delicious! Mine was a 7 lb bird and was fully cooked by the first temp. I was worried it would be dry after glazing and putting it back in the oven but it wasn't. My gravy was very tangy. But still tasty. The directions say to use cloves of garlic but the ingredient list doesn't incorporate them. So I just measured with my heart. This recipe was excellent for October and will be on my regular fall rotation!
Hi Keri, thank you so much! I'm so glad that you enjoyed the recipe, it's definitely a fall favourite for me too 🙂 and thanks for pointing out about the garlic. I have updated the recipe, although it can certainly be adjusted per personal taste!
This sounds AMAZING!!! I’ve started purchasing whole chickens from a local farm. Normally I boil them, remove the cooked meat, add the bones back and make broth. Two products from one chicken. However, lately I’ve been wanting to try my hand at roasting one of the chickens. I’m definitely going to be using this recipe! Thank you and beautiful photos as well.
Thanks Jaylea 🙂 This is such a great fall recipe, let me know if you get a chance to try it out!
This sounds AMAZING!!! I’ve started purchasing whole chickens from a local farm. Normally I boil them, remove the cooked meat, add the bones back and make broth. Two products from one chicken. However, lately I’ve been wanting to try my hand at roasting one of the chickens. I’m definitely going to be using this recipe! Thank you and beautiful photos as well.
Thanks Jaylea 🙂 This is such a great fall recipe, let me know if you get a chance to try it out!