MAPLE-BARBECUE-GLAZED SPICE-RUBBED CHICKEN

So this is my first time cooking a whole chicken (or turkey for that matter)! Be it, the chicken was only 4 pounds but it was really meant to be practice for some future Thanksgiving feast when the in-laws come in. I'll be honest, I was scared at first cooking this lil' monster but as soon as I rubbed the spices in, I was confident of it's tasteful success.

The maple-barbecue glaze is the real winner in this recipe. It is simply delicious. It produces this wonderful color for the chicken. But the glaze is only as good as the spices rubbed on the inside and outside of the chicken. The rub created a crispy, delicious crust with a decent spice-kick.

Ingredients

* 2 tbsp. dark brown sugar
* 2 tsp. paprika
* 2 tsp. garlic powder
* 1 1/2 tsp. salt
* 1 tsp. ground cumin
* 1 tsp. chili powder
* 3/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
* 4 lb. whole chicken

For the Maple-Barbecue glaze

* 1 cup Maple syrup
* 4 tbsp. bottled chili sauce
* 4 tbsp. cider vinegar
* 2 tsps. Worcestershire sauce
* 1 tsp. dry mustard
* 1 tsp. black pepper

Directions for chicken

In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, salt, cumin, chili powder, and the 3/4 teaspoons pepper, set aside.

Place chicken, bone side down, in a shallow roasting pan coated with cooking oil.

Use you fingers to loosen the skin from the meat. Spread spice mixture evenly under skin over the breast meat. For a more crusty, blackened-spice look, run the spice mixture on the outside of the chicken. Be sure to cover with foil during the last 30 minutes to prevent burning.

Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the breast without touching bone.

Roast chicken, uncovered, on the lower rack of a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees; roast for 1 to 1 1/2 hours longer until the juices run clear and chicken is no longer pink, occasionally spooning pan juices over chicken.

Brush the maple-barbecue glaze over chicken several times during the last 15 minutes of cooking.

Transfer chicken to a cutting board and let stand, covered with foil for 10-15 minutes before slicing.

Directions for Maple-Barbecue glaze

In a small sauce pan stir together maple syrup, chili sauce, cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard and black pepper. Heat and stir over medium heat until slightly thickened.

(Recipes gathered from Better Homes and Garden New Cook Book)