½ cup salt
1 – 3 ½ to 4 lb. whole chicken
Vegetable cooking spray or veggie oil
2 medium lemons
6 medium garlic cloves, crushed and peeled
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, 2 Tbsp. melted, remaining 2 Tbsp. chilled and cut into two pieces
ground black pepper
1 ¾ cups canned low-sodium chicken broth (bouillon makes a little too salty)
1 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley leaves
1 tsp. minced fresh thyme leaves
Dissolve salt in 2 quarts water in large container. Submerge chicken in brine and refrigerate for 1 hour. Remove chicken from brine and thoroughly pat dry with paper towels.
Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position; heat oven to 375 degrees. Spray roasting rack with cooking spray or wipe with vegetable oil and set into roasting pan.
Cut 1 lemon lengthwise into quarters. Place lemon quarters and garlic in cavity of chicken. Thread long wooden skewer through flaps of skin on either side of cavity to seal it shut. Brush breast side of chicken with 1 Tbsp. melted butter and season generously with pepper. Place chicken breast-side down onto rack, then brush back with remaining Tbsp. of butter and season generously with pepper. Roast chicken for 40 min. Remove roasting pan from oven; increase oven temperature to 450 degrees. Using to large wads of paper towels, rotate chicken breast-side up; add 1 cup chicken broth to roasting pan. Return roasting pan to oven and continue roasting until thickest part of thigh registers 165-170 degrees on instant-read thermometer, about 35-40 minutes longer. Remove roasting pan from oven; tip rack to let juices from chicken cavity run into roasting pan. Transfer chicken to cutting board with a rim and let rest, uncovered, while making sauce; remove rack from pan.
Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position; heat broiler. Skim fat from drippings in roasting pan, add remaining ¾ cup chicken broth, and set roasting pan over high heat on stove top burner. Simmer liquid, scraping pan bottom with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits (Teflon roasters don’t give many browned bits), until reduced to ½ cup, about 4 minutes; set aside off heat.
Discard lemons and garlic from chicken cavity (don’t panic that the garlic might turn a bluish color). Cut chicken into quarters (breast with wing and leg with thigh). You perfectly use all of the chicken and it easily quarters by using a sharp knife and kitchen shears. Pour accumulated chicken juices into roasting pan, then place chicken quarters, skin-side up, into sauce in roasting pan; broil chicken until skin is crisp and deep golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer chicken to serving platter.
Halve remaining lemon lengthwise; squeeze juice of one half into roasting pan; cut remaining half into 4 wedges and set aside. Whisk 2 Tbsp. butter into sauce until combined; stir in parsley and thyme. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper (beware of too much salt!); serve chicken with sauce and lemon wedges. A sprig of parsley adds the finishing touch!
**I made two whole chickens for my family cuz the chickens were smaller. I just doubled everything and it turned out great. We had two breasts left over. This meal goes well with crusty warm bread, garlic & sour cream potatoes and a green veggie.
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