Month-of-Chicken: Breakfast Chicken

I adapted today’s recipe from one I found on the Yahoo! Shine site. I put the link at the end so you can try the original. I knew it was a risky one to try because DH is not a fan of coffee except as coffee.

But wouldn’t it be fun to tell people you’re serving them Breakfast Chicken? The name clearly derives from the two ingredients, coffee and oranges.

Breakfast Coffee-Brined Chicken (serves 4)

3 oz. salt
2 t whole black peppercorns
3 star anise pods
1 t whole cloves
2 navel oranges, halved and juiced
1 qt. hot, freshly brewed strong coffee
1¾ c ice

4-5# whole chicken
2½ T brown sugar
1½  T butter
2 c milk

Mix first four ingredients in a small saucepan. Lightly smash the spices with a spoon.

Pour orange juice over spices and add the rinds. Pour hot coffee over spice and orange mixture. Let steep for ten minutes.

Place the ice in a large bowl and pour on coffee brine pan. Stir until ice melts.

Rinse chicken inside and out and pat dry. [Freeze giblets and neck for another meal.]

Place chicken in a 2-gallon zipper plastic bag.  

Pour brine mixture over chicken in bag. Seal and allow mixture to sit at room temperature for 2-3 hours.

Then pat chicken dry and place in a bowl. Let dry out for an hour in the refrigerator.

Preheat oven to 375º.

Remove chicken from refrigerator. Pat dry and rub all sides with brown sugar.

Heat butter in a Dutch oven with the butter over medium heat. Brown top and bottom of chicken. Add milk, cover, and transfer to oven.

Cook for an hour. Remove lid. Continue to cook for another 30-40 minutes, or until internal temperature of chicken is 165º.

Remove chicken from pot and pull chicken apart. Transfer pot liquor to a pitcher to pour over the meat and quinoa (or rice or noodles).

Adapted from:

http://shine.yahoo.com/shine-food/brew-brine-coffee-scented-chicken-210700200.html

DH’s Rating: 3 Tongues Up. Honestly, it is better than that, but he doesn’t like coffee ice cream or other coffee-flavored foods, and the oranges with it didn’t thrill his taste buds. Since he doesn’t care for flavored coffee, it’s no real surprise he didn’t fall in love with this recipe. Still, give it a try for yourself. It’s different.