Cider and Buttermilk Marinated Roast Chicken

Yield: 1 bird feeds, 2 very hungry people or 4 normal hungry people

Ingredients:

1~ 2 pound chicken, organic, spatch cocked (butterflied, back boned removed)

2 Tablespoons olive oil

spray olive oil

3/4 cup hard cider, (J.K." Scrumpy Hard Cider Farmhouse Organic)

8 oz. Cremini mushrooms, whole, cleaned and trimmed

1 Tablespoon olive oil

salt, Kosher or sea

black pepper, fresh ground

1/2 Tablespoon thyme, fresh, chopped

Ingredients for the marinade (good for two chickens if you are hungry):

2 cups apple cider, fresh

2 cups buttermilk, organic

4 cloves garlic, crushed

2 bay leaves, fresh

2 Tablespoons salt

2 Tablespoons sugar

1 Tablespoons oregano, Greek

black pepper, fresh ground

Method for marinade (1-2 days in advance):

1. Combine above ingredients in a large bowl or container that will hold the chicken plus the marinade.

2. Mix well and immerse the chicken or chickens.

3. Allow to marinate for 1-2 days in advance of roasting.

Method for roasting:

Preheat oven to 400ºF convection/ 425ºF bake

1. Remove chicken form marinade and dry with paper towels. Rub with 2 Tablespoons olive oil.

2. Using a large cast iron skillet or roasting pan, spray pan with olive oil. Heat to high. Add the chicken skin side down, cook until golden brown on breasts and thighs. Flip the bird over so it cooks skin side up. Place bird in the preheated oven.

3. Roast bird for about 45 minutes and 160ºF internal temperature in the thickest part of the breast.

4. Toss the mushrooms with 1 Tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper. Add to the roasting pan with the chicken after the chicken has been roasting for 30 minutes.

5. Remove the roasting pan from the oven. Allow to sit for 20 minutes, this allows the juices to settle bask into the meat of the bird.

6. Place the chicken on a cutting board and mushrooms on a serving platter. Cut the chicken in half and then in quarters. Add to serving dish.

7. Place roasting pan with juices on medium high heat. When the juices begin to sizzle, add the hard cider and 1/2 Tablespoon fresh thyme.

Scrape up the pan juices and pour into a bowl. Serve pan juices with the chicken and mushrooms.

8. Garnish chicken with pan juices and a sprinkle of sea salt.

9. Serve with Speck and Goat Cheese Roasted Pears!