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Chicken

Apple and Thyme Roast Chicken

Your kitchen will be filled with the fragrance of apples, herbs, and spices.

Prep: 20 minutes Roast: 7 hour

1 chicken (3 ½ pounds)

2 sprigs plus 1 table spoon chopped fresh thyme

¾ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

1 jumbo onion (1 pound), cut into 12 wedges

¼ cup water

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 large Granny Smith apples, each cored and cut into quarters

2 tablespoons applejack brandy or Calvados

½ cup chicken broth

1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Remove giblets and neck from chicken; reserve for another use. Rinse chicken inside and out with cold running water;

Drain. Pat chicken dry with paper towels.

2. With fingertips, gently separate skin from meat on chicken breast. Place 1 thyme sprig under skin of each breast half. In cup, combine chopped thyme, salt, pepper, and allspice.

3. With chicken breast side up, lift wings up toward neck, then fold wing tips under back of chicken so wings stay in place. Tie legs together with string.

4. In medium roasting pan (14" by 10"), toss onion, chopped-thyme mixture, water, and oil. Push onion mixture to sides of pan. Place chicken, breast side up, on small rack in center of roasting pan.

5. Roast chicken and onion mixture 40 minutes. Add apples to pan; roast about 20 minutes longer. Chicken is done when temperature on meat thermometer inserted in thickest part of thigh, next to body, reaches 175° to 180°F and juices run clear when thigh is pierced with tip of knife.

6. Transfer chicken to warm platter; let stand 10 minutes to set juices for easier carving.

7. Meanwhile, remove rack from roasting pan. With slotted spoon, transfer onion mixture to platter with chicken. Skim and discard fat from drippings in pan. Add applejack to pan drippings; cook 1 minute over medium heat, stirring constantly. Add broth; heat to boiling. Serve pan-juice mixture with chicken. Remove skin from chicken before eating, if desired. Makes 4 main-dish servings.

Each serving with skin: About 589 calories, 49g protein, 22g carbohydrate, 33g total fat (9g saturated), 159mg cholesterol, 708 mg sodium.

Each serving without skin: About 441 calories, 43g protein, 22g carbohydrate, 20g total fat (5g saturated), 132mg cholesterol, 686 mg sodium.

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