Sweet & Spicy Roasted Chicken

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Brine your hens for at least 1 hour or overnight.  To make the brine, I simmered for 20 minutes – 2 quarts water, 1/2 cup salt, 1/2 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons peppercorn and 1 bay leaf.  I removed it from the heat to let it COMPLETELY cool – I used ice to speed up the process.  Then I added the chicken to brine in the fridge.

2. Blend together habanero, garlic, green onion and ginger using an immersion blender or countertop blender.  Add to a bowl along with the remaining ingredients for the rub – mix until it becomes a paste.

3. When you remove the chicken from the brine, ensure it is COMPLETELY patted dry – this helps the skin become crispy.  Then add the rub all over the chicken.  I like to add the chicken to individual sealable bags to marinate for another hour (or up to overnight in the fridge).

4. Set grill or oven to 400F.  Note: I used a Rotisserie so I lowered and raised the chicken depending on the heat of the fire/coals/wood.
   

5. OVEN: add chicken to a baking rack inside a baking tray.  Roast for about 1 hour or until the thermometer on the chicken reaches 160F in the thickest part of the chicken.

6. GRILL: add the chicken to the Rotisserie and cook chicken until the thickest part of the chicken reads 160F on a thermometer.  The speed of cooking will be influenced by the heat and the outside temperature so cooking times may vary which is why a meat thermometer is a great investment. 

7. Allow to rest for 5 – 10 minutes before garnishing, slicing and enjoying!