Description
This Apple Cider Glazed Roasted Chicken is a flavorful and juicy roasted chicken recipe featuring a sweet and tangy apple cider reduction glaze. Seasoned inside and out, stuffed with fresh apple, onion, and thyme, and basted with the apple cider glaze while baking, this dish offers a perfect balance of savory and fruity flavors with crispy, golden-brown skin.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Seasoning
- 1 whole chicken
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons butter, softened
- 8 sprigs fresh thyme
Stuffing
- 1 Granny Smith or Pink Lady apple, quartered
- 1 small sweet onion, quartered
Glaze
- 3 cups apple cider
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Rack: Preheat your oven to 450°F (232°C). Grease a wire rack and place it inside a roasting pan to allow even heat circulation while roasting the chicken.
- Make Apple Cider Reduction: Pour the 3 cups of apple cider into a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Allow the cider to reduce until it thickens and the volume decreases to about 1/2 cup, intensifying its flavor for the glaze.
- Prepare Chicken: Rinse the whole chicken under cold water and pat it thoroughly dry with paper towels to ensure crispy skin upon roasting. Season the inside cavity generously with salt and pepper.
- Stuff Chicken Cavity: Stuff the cavity with 2 apple quarters (from the quartered apple), 2 onion quarters, and all 8 sprigs of fresh thyme, infusing the chicken with aromatic flavors as it roasts.
- Season and Butter Chicken Exterior: Rub the softened butter evenly over the outside of the chicken, then season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper to enhance flavor and promote browning.
- Truss and Place on Rack: Tie the chicken legs together with kitchen twine to ensure even cooking. Place the chicken breast-side up on the prepared wire rack in the roasting pan.
- Initial High-Heat Roasting: Place the roasting pan with the chicken into the preheated oven and roast at 450°F for 30 minutes to develop a golden-brown, crispy skin.
- Reduce Temperature and Continue Roasting: Lower the oven temperature to 350°F (177°C). Continue roasting the chicken for an additional 30 to 45 minutes, basting every 15 minutes with the reduced apple cider glaze to keep the chicken moist and flavorful, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
- Optional Broiling for Crispier Skin: If the chicken skin hasn’t browned sufficiently after roasting, place the chicken under the broiler for 2 to 5 minutes. Watch carefully to prevent burning and achieve a beautifully crisp exterior.
Notes
- Use a meat thermometer to ensure the chicken is fully cooked to a safe internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
- Allow the chicken to rest for 10-15 minutes after roasting before carving to let the juices redistribute.
- Basting with the apple cider reduction throughout the roasting process enhances flavor and moisture.
- You can substitute Pink Lady apples if Granny Smith apples are unavailable for a slightly sweeter flavor.
- Be cautious during broiling as the sugars in the glaze can burn quickly.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of chicken
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 300 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 7 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 40 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg
