Orange Roasted Chicken

Spring is here! Friends are visiting! Students are graduating! It’s a warm, exciting time which calls for something warm and exciting to put on the table. If you can be bothered to plate it, this is a glorious dish to set in the middle of a full table. It really elevates the concept of a baked chicken. From onions to shallots; from celery to fennel! #levelup

what you need

1 tablespoon ground fennel pods

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1 tablespoon salt

5-6 tablespoons fresh orange zest (~ 2 oranges worth)

1/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons ground tarragon

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1, 4-4.5 pound chicken, spatchcocked

2 oranges, sliced evenly to 1/2 inch rounds

2 fennel bulbs, tops cut off, sliced evenly to 1/2 inch slices

*save the green fennel tops

2 shallots, skinned, sliced evenly to 1/4 inch slices

3/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice

1/4 cup olive oil

salt, black pepper, and dried thyme for seasoning

how to make it

preheat your oven to 425 and settle on some sort of high-sided casserole dish

in a small bowl, use your fingers to mix the orange zest with the sugar until it turns bright yellow. add ground fennel, coriander, tarragon, and salt, and mix until combined. then add the olive oil, honey, and Dijon mustard, mixing until a cohesive paste forms.

wash, dry, and spatchcock your chicken. (this involves cutting out the neck and spine with thick kitchen shears, then smashing the bird breast-side up until it lays flat)

massage the rub into the entire chicken, allocating some to the inside of the bird but reserving most for the skin. let it rest for a bit (it’s been through a lot)

now prepare your casserole dish. layer the orange slices on the bottom of the dish (picture below). then add the sliced fennel bulbs and shallots to the top. sprinkle lightly with salt, black pepper, and dried thyme, and then pour the orange juice over top. situate the spatchcocked bird atop the layer of oranges and veg, and cover with foil.

place in preheated oven for approximately 40 minutes, then uncover and cook for another 15-20, checking for an internal temperature of 165 at the deepest part of the breast. note: this bird browns and crisps quickly. you are welcome to baste it after the initial 40 minutes with the juices but be mindful of how brown it will get once uncovered. i like crispy skin and darker birds, but if this is not your preference, you may wish to adjust covered vs uncovered time in the oven.

to plate, using a butcher knife, cut off the thigh/leg pieces and the wing pieces, and situate on a serving platter. slice the breasts into clean slices of meat and add to the platter. then arrange the fennel slices and the orange slices, twisting the orange slices slightly to create florets, around the meat. garnish with the green tops of the fennel fronds or with fresh dill. top with some of the pan juices. serve on a bed of white, brown, or wild rice, or with a green side salad.