Applewood Spring Chicken
Ingredients
Brine
- ¼ cup salt
- ⅓ cup sugar
- ⅓ cup juniper berries
- 3 tbsp peppercorns
- 5 bay leaves
- 4 cups water
Maple Butter
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 1 stick unsalted butter (melted)
Chicken & Garnish
- 1 whole chicken (around 5 lbs)
- applewood pellets
- edible flowers (for garnish)
Directions
Brine the Chicken
- Combine salt, sugar, juniper berries, peppercorns, bay leaves and water in a pot and bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir until the salt and sugar have completely dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely before use
- Brine the entire chicken overnight
Make the Maple Butter
- The following day, combine the maple syrup and butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir until butter is melted and well incorporated. Allow to cool at room temperature
Cook & Serve
- In a large pot over medium heat, bring the brine and chicken to a slow boil. Reduce heat and simmer until just cooked through (165°F). Remove chicken from brine immediately and let cool
- Prepare Traeger with applewood pellets and get to high heat (about 400°F). This step is to incorporate a sweet, smoky flavor and make the skin on the chicken nice and crispy
- Start with the bird breast-side down, turn once the first side is browned (about 8 minutes). Using a pastry brush, baste the chicken with maple butter. Continue to rotate and baste the chicken until golden brown, about 15 minutes) keeping the lid down between basting
- Carve the bird and garnish with edible flowers. Enjoy!
Applewood Spring Chicken has become a staple in our home. It is the first recipe where I’ve brined a chicken and I don’t think I’ll ever go back! This chicken really hits the spot. It’s savory from the brine, sweet from the maple butter, and smoky from being finished off on the Traeger. It has become a staple at home for sure!
I have a few notes on the ingredients. Juniper berries can be pricey when you find them at the grocery store and you’ll go through an entire jar in one use. If you can’t find them in bulk locally, you can buy them on Amazon. I like these ones: The Spice Way Juniper Berries. When you’re making the brine, you’ll also want to make sure you’re using kosher salt. Using iodized salt can translate a metallic flavor to your bird which is not good. Lastly, I prefer to use pure maple syrup for the maple butter because it will give you the best flavor!
Now that the chicken is prepped and cooked, it’s time to finish it off. We have a Traeger at home that we love, but that doesn’t mean it’s the only way to get a nice smoky flavor and crispy skin on your chicken, you can use your grill or an open fire. If you’re using a Traeger, pick up some applewood pellets. On the grill or open fire, you can use branches from an apple tree.
The goal is to get the chicken nice and hot! To achieve this, set your Traeger to 375°F or work to get your grill or fire nice and toasty. Sometimes plans change, so if you’ve already brined the chicken and your dinner plans change the following day, you can poach the chicken in the brine (cooking until it reaches 165°F) and then toss it into the fridge until you’re ready to grill it – it will easily last up to 2 more days. Enjoy!
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