Orange Roasted Chicken

All chicken photos courtesy the Bon Vivant de Roommates

Among my favorite things to make is roasted chicken, and the simplicity of it appeals to me like few other things manage. One yard bird, a couple of aromatics, and you've got yourself a knockout dinner that everyone enjoys. I made this one on a regular basis, and at a dinner party recently someone asked for the oh-so-simple recipe. Roasted chicken is very versatile; these things, your favorite things, or nothing except a little salt and pepper can be used. 



Orange Roasted Chicken
3-4 pound chicken
1 large orange
1 medium onion
2 cloves of garlic, minced
Poultry seasoning (I used a poultry seasoning grinder because I had it around, but usually I just use a mix of salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and sage or paprika. The grinder had a bunch of paprika, which is great for color.)


Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Carefully slice off the outer layer of zest from the orange, leaving the white pith on. You want as much oil from the orange as you can get without the bitter pith. Quarter the remaining orange, as well as the onion. Give the garlic a good smash with your knife, and remove the skin. 


Now, remove all the extras from the cavity of the chicken. Carefully raise the skin from the neck end of the chicken and slide the orange skin color-side-down between the chicken skin and the breast. Stuff the cavity with the orange quarters, the onion, and the garlic. Whatever pieces don't fit inside can go under the chicken on the roasting surface. Grind away with your poultry seasoning or season the outside of the bird well with whatever you've chosen for seasoning. 

Not exactly trussed right. Look at those floppy wings.

Trussing helps your chicken cook evenly, so truss your chicken with string or, more simply, natural truss, and place it in your roaster or on a cookie sheet. Roast at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes to develop some good color and crispy skin, then turn your oven down to 350 degrees for about 45 more minutes until your thermometer reads 165 degrees (according to the non-Canadian USDA). Let your chicken rest for 10 minutes or so before carving.