Must try

The Best Chicken Ever


As you know, I am a huge fan of chicken. 


And I would like to share with you my very favorite ways to make chicken.


I could eat the whole chicken by myself. And most times I do.

I am sure you could use chicken pieces, but I like to use the whole chicken because later I make homemade chicken broth from the carcass.

So here's my version of the recipe.

1. wash the whole chicken. If you got a chicken that did not have the insides removed, then don't forget to pull those out.

2. in a large pot or bowl (I used the inside of my large crock pot) put one cup of sea salt and one cup sugar.

3. add some hot water and stir until the sugar and salt are dissolved.

4. add the chicken to the sugar/salt water and then add more water until the whole chicken is submerged.

5. add 6 or more garlic cloves that have the paperish covering removed and have been smashed. Basically, lay the garlic cloves on a cutting board, lay a large knife flat against the clove and whack it with your fist. It kinda cracks the clove open.

6. add 2 or 3 bay leaves (just depends on how big they are.)

7. if you have some in your cupboard, add thyme also. 

8. put a lid on the pot and put it in the fridge. Let it brine for at least 2 hours. The longer the better.

9. Rinse the chicken and pat dry with a huge wad of paper towels.

10. sprinkle salt and pepper all over the chicken.

11. put it in a heavy roasting pan with a lid that can go in the oven.

12. ugh...this is really bad. I don't remember the exact temp or time that I roasted it. I'm guessing that it is 450 degrees for about an hour. 

Hang on, let me look it up.

Yep, 450 for 50 to 60 minutes. Internal temp needs to get to 160 degrees. 

I'll warn you. If you use table salt instead of sea salt, then be sure to reduce the measurement to 1/2 cup. Personally, I prefer the taste of sea salt WITHOUT the added iodine.  

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 Since I'm now packing my lunch instead of going home for lunch, I have to try and plan ahead to keep it healthy. So I recently made a batch of this yummy broccoli salad and spent the week enjoying it for lunch.
http://smittenkitchen.com/2009/05/broccoli-slaw/


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I also added these to my lunch box menu. We have a ton of chocolate at our disposal at the office and it is always very tempting. So I now have a container of these in the fridge that I eat when I need a taste of something sweet. They have such an "old woman" reputation, but if you haven't tried them, their yumminess may surprise you!


(I took them with me on my weekend visit to my sis's house. I told little J they were grape candy. He liked them :).