It’s summer time, which means that my herb garden is growing strong. It also means that I’m on the lookout for as many recipes as I can find that take advantage of these fresh seasonings. I don’t want them to go to waste!
This Orange Baked Chicken gets some of its tasty flavor from fresh rosemary, although dried herbs would also work fine (just decrease the amount you use to about 1/4 teaspoon). Add some shallots and baste the bird with freshly-squeezed orange juice and you have a simple, but very fancy dinner!
When I was growing up, the only chicken that my mom prepared was of the boneless, skinless variety. As a result, I had never seen (or tasted) a chicken thigh or wing until I met my husband! Needless to say, I have always been a bit intimidated by the thought of roasting a whole bird. If I ever needed white and dark meat, or chicken on the bone, I just purchased a rotisserie chicken from my grocery store’s deli.
If you’re like me and you’re not a Chicken-Roasting Pro, then this is the recipe for you. It’s very easy, it requires just a few ingredients, and you can’t mess it up. I go back to this recipe time and again because it always produces the juiciest meat with the most flavorful golden crust. Keith called it “beautiful” when we ate it for dinner last night!
This recipe was “gifted” to me at my bridal shower when all of the guests brought their favorite recipes to share for my new kitchen. Mrs. Test, who happens to own a very successful restaurant in Old Town, Alexandria, shared this recipe for Orange Baked Chicken. And let me tell you – she knows what she’s doing!
If you’re going to venture out of the realm of boneless, skinless breasts, I highly recommend starting here. Your dinner guests will adore you, and you will be so proud. I will warn you, though – this is what I consider a “Sunday Supper,” meaning it takes a bit more time to prepare than most of the other “weeknight” recipes that I share. It’s not difficult, but you do need to have enough time to let the chicken bake for about 1 hour, 15 minutes (or longer if you use a larger chicken). Your house will smell amazing in the process!
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Orange Baked Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 broiler-fryer chicken 2.5 to 3 lbs.
- 3 Tablespoons minced shallots
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary or ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice from approximately 3 oranges
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Wash and dry chicken. Mix remaining ingredients except orange juice. Rub chicken with seasoning mixture. Bake chicken until brown and tender – about 1 hour, 15 minutes, basting frequently with orange juice.
- Serve with peeled cooked carrots which have been cut into strips and browned in the pan juices.
I think my comment was “I will make out with that chicken.”
Alright, maybe that was it. Same idea, right?!