CITRUS HERB ROASTED CHICKEN

My friend Jessica and I have a birthday tradition. Every year for our birthdays we make each other dinner. Given that Jessica and I are both foodies these aren’t your average dinners. Last year Jessica made me homemade ravioli and she always has the best wine. This year I made her a Citrus Chicken and a Crouton Salad with Roasted Brussels Sprouts. It was the perfect summer meal to enjoy on my balcony.

CITRUS HERB ROASTED CHICKEN

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Course Main Course

Servings 4

Ingredients

  

• 1 whole organic chicken
• ¼ cup olive oil 
• 2 shallots minced 
• 2 oranges zested and sliced 
• 2 lemons zested and sliced 
• 3 tbsp fresh mint leaves chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
• 1 tbsp fresh rosemary chopped, plus 1 sprig
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 cup organic chicken stock 
• 2 tsp all-purpose flour 
• 2 tbsp butter

Wine Brine

• 1 bottle white wine use a cheap one
• 3 cups water
• ¼ cup salt
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 bay leaf

Instructions

 

• The night before. Place chicken in a pot or large plastic container with a lid (must be big enough for the chicken to be covered in brine). Pour 1 bottle of white wine over the chicken, add water to cover the chicken, about 3 cups, but may vary depending on how big your pot is. Add salt, sugar, and 1 bay leaf. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 450ºF.
• Remove chicken from the brine and pat dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, mix together the olive oil, shallots, orange zest, lemon zest, thyme, mint, rosemary, salt and pepper.
• In a baking dish. Slice zested lemons and oranges and place them in the dish as a bed for the chicken to rest on. Place chicken on top of the lemons and oranges and rub mixture all over the chicken.
• Using kitchen twine, truss the legs together. Note: make sure it's twine for trussing or it could melt on the chicken in the oven.
• Add the chicken stock and sprig of rosemary.
• Roast for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the leg juices run clear.
• Remove the chicken from the baking dish and tent with tin foil, set aside.
• To make the gravy, put the flour and butter in a small saucepan. Mix together with a whisk until butter is melted and flour is cooked, it will make a paste called a roux.
• Strain pan juices and whisk in with the butter and flour. Bring the gravy to a boil over medium heat.
• Reduce the heat and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until slightly thickened.
• Season with salt & pepper to taste. 
• Serve with the roast chicken.

Notes

Whenever I make a whole chicken, I use my Wine Brine. It started with me getting a bottle of white wine as a gift, and I didn’t like the taste of it but didn’t want to waste it. I was making a chicken and decided to add the wine to the brine mixture and the result was a moist, tender, juicy chicken. It doesn’t have to be an expensive bottle, in fact I suggest the cheaper wines. You can also use a red wine, but I prefer a white.