Dry Brined Roasted Chicken is seasoned for 24 hours with hints of thyme and orange makes the perfect holiday main. This chicken is juicy and delicious.

Thanksgiving prep is in full swing and all month long I will be sharing recipes and tips to help you conquer thanksgiving dinner.  In case you’ve missed it, I’ve already shared Whipped Chipotle Sweet Potatoes and Cranberry Almond Jeweled Rice.  I also share the best Holiday Cheese Board over on my YouTube channel so head on over and check that out as well.  Be sure to follow me on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook and Pinterest to keep up to date with my recipes and videos because I have a lot coming up.

Most thanksgivings I find myself skipping turkey and making a whole chicken instead and so I’m sharing my amazing Dry Brined Roasted Chicken.  I’ve made whole roasted chicken or cornish hens in place of a traditional thanksgiving turkey.  I don’t love turkey and neither does my family so I find myself making it less and less.  Don’t get me wrong, I’ve made very juicy and tasty turkeys in the past but we just aren’t in love with the meat.  I know there are other’s like me out there and this Dry Brined Roasted Chicken that’s a great alternate main dish.   With that being said, I will be sharing a turkey recipe as well because well…it’s traditional!

If you’ve never heard of dry brine it’s just a fancy way of say dry seasoning versus a wet brine where the meat is submerged in a seasoned liquid for up to 24 hours.  I love wet brines and have shared one in the past so head on over here and read about it if you’re curious about wet brines.  I love wet brines because the seasoning is in every bite and it makes the turkey or chicken incredible moist. Now if you don’t have space to place a large pot in your fridge for 24 hours then a dry brine is an excellent alternative.

I created an aromatic seasoning rub which has dried thyme, brown sugar and orange zest so it gives the meat a ton of flavor.  I seasoned the whole chicken for 24 hours and this dry brined whole roasted chicken was delicious!  The orange zest was present without being overwhelming and the chicken was perfectly roasted.  To preserve the golden brown color and prevent the chicken from becoming too dark, I loosely covered it with foil the last half hour of cooking.

Get the Recipe DRY BRINED ROASTED CHICKEN

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Ingredients
 

  • 2 tsp onion powder
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • ¾ tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 ½ tsp salt
  • 1 tsp orange zest
  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 1 – 5 lb whole chicken, cleaned and giblets removed
  • 1 onion cut into large chunks

Instructions
 

  • Combine onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, dry thyme, brown sugar, salt and orange zest in a bowl and stir to combine.
  • Rub chicken with seasoning on the inside and outside.
  • Place chicken in to a bowl and covered with foil. Refrigerate for 12-24 hours.
  • Take chicken out of the fridge and allow to come to room temperature while the oven is preheated to 425 degrees.
  • Place onions in the cavity of the chicken and tie the legs with butcher’s twine.
  • Tuck the wings under the chicken to prevent them from burning. Rub the chicken with olive oil and place on a baking pan.
  • Place in preheated oven and bake for 1 ½ hours or until the juices run clear when pricked or has an internal temperature of 165 degrees. If the chicken becomes too brown before its done cooking, loosely wrap with aluminum foil and allow it to cook.
  • Remove twine and onion before serving.
Author: Jehan Powell