Beer-Brined Honey Rosemary Chicken
It’s time for a Wheel of Time re-watch and/or re-read! Today we join the Emond’s Fielders just before Winternight and Bel Tine. Many villagers gather at the Winespring Inn’s common room to celebrate Egwene Al’Vere coming of age and joining the Women’s Circle. Well, what’s a party without great food? Tonight’s celebration dinner is Beer-Brined Honey Rosemary Chicken. This features an ale-marinated baked chicken with sweet and savory caramelized onions. Serve the whole thing on top of a comforting pile of mashed potatoes. This pairs perfectly with apple cider, which Tam and Rand Al’Thor always bring from their farm for the holiday.
Bel Tine is celebrated in early spring – there is still snow on the ground here but I am dreaming of the warmer days to come. The winter pantry still has plenty of onions and potatoes, honey and herbs. The women of the village discuss plans to put up the Spring Pole to dance around with ribbons. Before we know it there will be crocuses popping up through the snow, then daisies and violets to make spring flower crowns.
Special shout-out to Beverly Hosie at Made With Love Pottery for the beautiful black pottery bowl.
Beer-Brined Honey Rosemary Chicken
Equipment
- 5qt Dutch Oven or large cast-iron skillet
- Meat thermometer
Ingredients
- 6 chicken thighs OR 2 large chicken breasts boneless preferred
Marinade
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup dark ale or brown ale (a bit less than 1 bottle of beer)
Onions and Finishing
- 2 large white onions (or 3 medium) sliced into half-moons
- 2" sprig of fresh rosemary OR 1 tsp dried whole rosemary leaves
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp kosher salt (Jacobsen Salt’s Coffee Salt is great here)
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- Mashed potatoes for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Remove skin from the chicken. (optional but recommended)
- Add the chicken to a baking dish or shallow bowl. Sprinkle with 2 tsp kosher salt.
- Pour 1 cup ale over the chicken. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour and up to 12 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Remove chicken from marinade and allow to drain and dry on a stack of paper towels. SAVE THE MARINADE.
- Heat Dutch oven or large cast iron skillet to MEDIUM. Add 2 Tbsp oil.
- Add chicken to hot pan. Cook over medium heat, 6 to 8 minutes. (It may stick a little if you removed the skin; this is okay, just do your best)
- Turn the chicken over, cook until browned on the underside; remove from the pan and set aside on a plate.
- Deglaze the pan with 1/4 cup of the marinade.
- Cook the onions and rosemary in the same pan on medium-high for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the garlic to the pan, allowing to cook for about 30 seconds.
- Add another 1/4 cup of the marinade to the hot pan. Discard any extra marinade.
- Turn off the stove burner.
- Stir in the honey, mustard, salt and pepper.
- Add the chicken back to the pan and place it in the oven. Cook UNCOVERED for 25-35 minutes or until the center of the chicken reaches 190°F on a meat thermometer (165 is technically done but I find the texture is better at 190 for thighs).
