Description
A juicy roast chicken, brined in blood orange and thyme, with a bright pan sauce. Perfect for a special dinner!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 4-5 lbs (1814-2268 g) whole chicken
- 3 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp blood orange zest
- 2 tbsp thyme leaves
- 2 tbsp chopped garlic
- 4 tbsp (57 g) unsalted butter
- 1 blood orange
- 2 blood oranges
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
- 2 sprigs thyme
- pan drippings from roast chicken
- 1/4 cups (59 ml) chopped shallots
- 1/4 cups (59 ml) white wine
- 1/2 cups (118 ml) chicken stock
- 1-1 1/2 oz (28-42 g) blood orange juice
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) thyme leaves
Instructions
- Stir together salt, black pepper, blood orange zest, thyme leaves, and chopped garlic in a small bowl. Chop the mixture with a knife until it has a sand-like texture, or pulse in a food processor.
- Rinse the chicken, remove innards, and pat dry. Season liberally with the brine. Place in a shallow roasting pan, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 3 days.
- Preheat oven to 475°F (235°C). Remove chicken from refrigerator and transfer to an oven-proof skillet or shallow roasting pan.
- Stuff the chicken cavity with unsalted butter and blood orange quarters.
- Roast the chicken until a thermometer inserted into the inner thigh reads 175°F (79°C), about 1 hour. Remove and let rest before carving.
- Roasted Blood Oranges with Thyme
- Preheat oven to 450°F (232°C). Place quartered blood oranges on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with sea salt and drizzle with oil. Roast for 15 minutes. Serve hot, garnished with thyme.
- White Wine, Shallot and Thyme Pan Sauce
- Pour out clear fat from the roasting pan, leaving about 2 tablespoons of drippings. Bring to medium heat on the stovetop.
- Add shallots and sauté, stirring often, for 3-4 minutes, or until translucent.
- Deglaze with white wine, scraping up browned bits. Stir in chicken stock, blood orange juice, and thyme.
- Cook and stir until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Season as needed.
Notes
- For optimal flavor, brine the chicken for at least 4 hours; longer brining times (up to 3 days) result in a more intensely flavored chicken.
- If blood oranges are unavailable, substitute with regular oranges, but the flavor profile will be less vibrant.
- To make ahead, prepare the pan sauce components separately and combine just before serving. Reheat gently.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 75 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 10
- Sodium: 600
- Fat: 25
- Saturated Fat: 15
- Unsaturated Fat: 8
- Carbohydrates: 20
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 40
- Cholesterol: 150