Rosemary Orange Roasted Chicken
About 10 years ago I was fortunate enough to have a most amazing, local Garden Center near my home in Chadds Ford, PA. This was the most sophisticated varietal Garden center I have ever been to. In my many travels there to furnish my perennial beds I discovered a most unusual Geranium annual that was orange scented with a coral colored flower. The smell of the leaves when you rubbed them between your fingers was intoxicating.
I decided to fill the urn I was planting the Geranium in with fresh herbs because it was right outside my kitchen door. I first put in Rosemary. After planting the Geranium and Rosemary I brushed up against the plants and my nose was aroused by the amazing bouquet of the two scents together. A bright, sweet citrus orange nose encapsulated with robust notes of rosemary lingering like a great wine with an endless finish that you are privileged to savor longer than you could hope for. Need less to say, I have never recovered from this aromatic indulgence, hence, my favorite Rosemary, Orange Roasted Chicken recipe! A marriage made in Chadds Ford! ENJOY!
Ingredients:
1 whole chicken roaster * 4 to 5 lbs.
1/2 stick of room temperature unsalted butter
1 T. kosher salt
pepper to taste
1 whole orange zest ed
3 oranges ...juice and zest needed
4 sprigs of rosemary
1/2 t. oregano
1 whole head of garlic
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup chicken stock
1 t. red pepper
2 T. brown sugar
Clean chicken and empty cavity. Blot dry all skin with paper towel. Make sure it is dry.
Take butter, salt, the zest of 2 oranges ( one going into the chicken to roast and a second for later) and finely chopped 2 sprigs of rosemary leaves, 1/2 t. of the red pepper and oregano. Mix these ingredients well into a paste. Rub the entire skin of the chicken with this paste and put under the breast skin as well. Cut the head of garlic in half down the middle of both ends and put into the cavity of the chicken after you salt the cavity. Cut the zest ed orange in half and juice it into the cavity and stuff it with this orange and with 2 rosemary sprigs. Pepper the chicken and Bake at 425 for 45 minutes. This will crisp up the skin really well. After 45 minutes remove the chicken and lower the temperature to 350 and bake until poultry temp of 165 or until cooked through, about 45 more minutes.
Remove the chicken from the pan and pour all the juices and scrapings into a sauce pan. Add wine, chicken stock and brown sugar, 2 rosemary sprigs remaining to the pan along with the juice of the remaining two oranges and the zest of one. Heat on medium high and reduce to half stirring with a whisk. About 8 minutes. Take this mixture and puree in Cuisinart or blender.
Serve chicken drizzled with sauce accompanied by baked sweet potato wedges that are simply salted and peppered with olive oil and sweet peas and carrots with butter and salt and pepper and the zest of orange! ENJOY!
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