Bourbon Street Chicken and Andouille Sausage

I've never been to Mardi Gras and, though I have several friends who live in the area, it doesn't look like I'll make it this year, either.  I have, in fact, been forced to the realization that as long as I have a teenager in my home who participates in three sports and shows an affinity for the guitar, I probably won't get to Mardi Gras, or any of another dozen or so events near the top of my bucket list, for at least another few years.

That doesn't mean we can't eat Cajun, though, does it?  My family loves Cajun cuisine and our community is blessed by a wonderful Cajun chef who opened a restaurant here just after Hurricane Katrina.  Chef Eagleson's menu has inspired me to research many recipes.  In fact, you can find recipes for Barbequed Shrimp and Shrimp and Grits on this blog.  And, while this recipe was not inspired by Eagle's Landing, it is full of rich New Orleans flavor.  I hope it will become one of your Cajun favorites.

What's In It:


1 1/4 c. Bourbon Whiskey (If you wouldn't drink it or serve it, don't cook with it.)
1 c. packed light brown sugar
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 c. sea salt
1 roasting chicken (6-7 lbs.) (If your grocery offers grain-fed, hormone free.  Pay the extra.  It's worth it!)
4 sweet onions, wedged (Each onion should yeild about 8 wedges)
2 heads garlic (Cut off top about 1/3 of the way down and discard)
1 tbs. olive oil
1 tsp. dried Herbes de Provence
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 pkg. (12 oz) andouille sausage, cut diagonally in 3 to 4 inch pieces (I prefer Conecuh)
1/2 c. apple jelly (Store brand is fine.  I like to use a Cinnamon Apple jelly I can only find at a farmer's market in the Georgia mountains.)


How To Make It:


In large dutch oven, combine 1 qt. water with 1 c. whiskey and next 3 ingredients.  Add chicken to pot.
Cover and refrigerate from 4 to 8 hours, or overnight.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine onions, garlic heads, oil, 1/4 tsp. Herbes de Provence, and 1/8 tsp pepper in large roasting pan that  has been sprayed with cooking spray.
Push mixture to sides.
Remove chicken from marinade, patting dry with paper towels.
Discard marinade.
Place chicken in center of roasting pan and sprinkle with remaining Herbes de Provence and black pepper.
Roast meat for one hour before adding sausage to mixture surrounding chicken.
Roast for another 40 minutes or until meat thermometer inserted in thickest part of thigh reads 180 degrees F.
While chicken roasts, bring apple jelly and remaining 1/4 c. whiskey to boil in small saucepan.
Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer for about 10 minutes or until thickened and reduced to about 1/3 c.
Brush glaze over chicken during last 10 minutes of cooking time.