Ingredients

4 cups apple juice

1/2 c bourbon (substituted 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract)

1/4 c firmly packed light brown sugar

1/4 c kosher salt

1 tbsp cracked black pepper

2 cups ice cubes

1 5 lb whole chicken

kitchen string

2 tbsp light brown sugar

3 tbsp olive oil

3 tbsp balsamic vinegar

5 medium assorted apples quartered

1 1/2 lb shallots, peeled and halved ( couldn’t find shallots so I used sweet onions. I added some garlic cloves too.)

1 lb small sweet potatoes quartered (I also added red potatoes)

2 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preparation

  1. Bring apple juice to a boil in a heavy 3-qt saucepan. Remove from heat, stir in bourbon and next 3 ingredients stirring until sugar and salt are dissolved. Stir in ice. Cool completely - 20 min.

  2. Remove neck and giblets from chicken. Place chicken and apple juice mixture in a 2-gal zip top freezer bag. Place bag in a shallow baking dish and chill 4 hours. Turn bag occasionally.

  3. Remove chicken from brine, discarding brine; pat dry with paper towels. Tie chicken legs together with kitchen string and tuck wings under.

  4. Whisk together 2 tbsp brown sugar and next 2 ingredients in a large bowl. Add apples and next 2 ingredients tossing to coat. Place mixture in a single layer in a lightly greased shallow roasting pan. Sprinkle with desired amount of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place chicken breast side up on top of apple-vegetable mixture in pan.

  5. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cook for approx 1 hour tenting chicken after 20-30 minutes.