Maple-Thyme Roast Chicken

I'm certain that you all have been waiting with bated breath for the roast chicken recipe. I am here to deliver.

(Although, unlike so many blogs, this recipe comes with no pictures. Partly because I tend to multi-task while cooking already and adding photography to the mix is too much for my brain to handle, and partly because I'm a little afraid I would end up burning or scalding myself if I attempted to take pictures AND cook at the same time.)

You can just imagine a deep brown chicken at the end of this process. Brown, but not burned.

Also, I'm not sure why this recipe calls for cutting the backbone out of the chicken. I think maybe it cooks more evenly or something. Anyway, with some good kitchen shears handy it's not that hard to do.

Maple-Thyme Roast Chicken
Serves 4

4-lb. whole chicken, rinsed and patted dry 2 Tbs. olive oil
Kosher salt 2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
Black pepper 1 Tbs. chopped fresh thyme
1/3 c. pure maple syrup 1/8 tsp. cayenne

Position rack in the upper third of oven and heat the oven to 400. Set the chicken on a cutting board, breast side down. Use kitchen shears to cut along both sides of backbone to remove it. Flip the chicken over and press down on the breasts with the heels of your hands to flatten it a little. Rub ¾ tsp. salt and ¼ tsp. pepper all over the chicken and set it breast side up in a 9x13 baking dish (the chicken should fit snugly).

In small bowl, whisk the maple syrup, oil, vinegar, thyme, and cayenne with 1 tsp. salt. Pour mixture evenly over chicken. Sprinkle the chicken with ¼ tsp. salt and several grinds of black pepper. Roast the chicken, basting or brushing it occasionally with the pan juices, until thermometer inserted in deepest part of thigh reads 170-175, 45-50 minutes. (Keep an eye on the pan juices; if they seem to be burning, add a couple of Tbs. of water to the bottom of the pan.)

Let chicken rest for a few minutes, cut it into pieces, drizzle it generously with pan juices, and serve.