Orange You Glad You Made This Roasted Chicken Recipes

ORANGE HERB ROASTED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Pour the chicken broth into a small roasting pan, and set aside.
• Loosen the skin from the breasts and thighs of the chicken. Stuff the butter pieces evenly underneath the skin of the chicken, and place into the roasting pan. Squeeze the orange halves over the chicken, and stuff the orange halves into the chicken cavity. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper to taste, then rub in the minced garlic. Drizzle the melted butter all over the chicken, then lay the herb sprigs onto the breast and around the legs.
• Cover the dish with aluminum foil, and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Uncover and baste the chicken with the pan juices. Continue cooking until the chicken is no longer pink, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 165 degrees F (74 degrees C), 1 to 2 hours. Baste the chicken every 10 to 15 minutes after you uncover it. Once cooked, allow the chicken to rest out of the oven for 10 minutes before slicing.

ORANGE HERB ROASTED CHICKEN WITH POTATOES

Steps:

• Place cast iron skillet inside the oven while it preheats to 425 degrees. Rack should be in the upper third of your oven so that when you cook the chicken later it's getting plenty of direct heat to make it nice and golden on top.
• While oven is preheating rinse the chicken inside and out. Pat dry with paper towels.
• Pierce holes in one orange with a fork and place inside cavity. Not only does this make for a great presentation but it also helps the bird cook evenly. Tie legs together with kitchen twine.
• On stove top or in the microwave melt 1/4 cup ghee or butter and combine with orange juice. Stir together.
• When the oven has reached 425 degrees carefully remove the skillet (use an oven mit so you don't touch the handle directly). Pour half of your melted butter/orange juice mixture into the hot skillet. (It will sizzle so be careful.) This will help prevent sticking.
• Place the chicken in the skillet breast side up. Tuck the tips of the wings under the bird. Drizzle the remaining half of the melted butter/orange juice all over your chicken. Generously salt and pepper the chicken. (I salt pretty liberally on the chicken because the salt is what really amplifies the flavors of orange and fresh herb!)
• Slice your potatoes into circles about 1/2 inch thick. Layer them around your chicken.
• Remove the leaves from your sprigs of thyme and rosemary. (Hold each sprig at the top and gently slide your finger down it to remove leaves.) Chop the rosemary leaves so they're smaller. (Thyme leaves are already very small.) Sprinkle both herbs on top of the chicken and potatoes.
• If you want to really make this dish gorgeous cut a thin circle from an orange and place on top of the chicken. Slice a few semicircles of orange and place them around the front of your chicken.
• Bake for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. I typically get a chicken that's 4 1/2 pounds and it take the full hour and a half. If you insert a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the chicken it should read 165 degrees.
• Let chicken rest at least 20 minutes before cutting.

ORANGE YOU GLAD YOU MADE THIS ROASTED CHICKEN?

Steps:

• Clean chicken and pat dry. Sprinkle Salt and Pepper into the chicken cavity.
• Pierce skin of chicken with knife in 5-7 places and insert half of the garlic slices under the skin.
• Stuff (in small batches to make even throughout cavity) onion, fresh herbs, butter, orange quarters, and remaining garlic. Rub chicken skin with a little butter. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• To close opening, make two slices in the chicken skin, one on either side of opening, and place the leg bone from the opposite side into the sliced skin on both sides.
• Roast chicken at 400 degrees for 15 minutes to get skin crisp and then lower heat to 350 and continue to roast for 65 minutes, or when internal thermometer reaches 180 degrees, or when juices run clear. Occasionally baste chicken with pan juices.
• Remove chicken from pan and place on a platter.
• Pour pan juices into a sauce pan and add 3/4 cups of the orange juice, Grand Marnier, chopped apricots and brown sugar (if using, remember this will make it a bit sweeter.) Whisk on high until it comes to a boil, lower temp and whisk occasionally until sauce thickens (about 7 minutes) add flour if necessary. You can add the remaining 1/4 cup of OJ if you need to reheat the sauce.
• Pour sauce over the chicken slices when served.

FANCY NOT FRIED RICE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a Dutch oven, or a smaller vessel with a heavy bottom, over medium-high heat. Add the rice and salt, stirring to coat the rice with oil. When the rice starts to appear opaque and chalky, add enough cold water to cover the rice by the width of two fingers (about one inch). Bring to a rapid boil, and boil - without stirring! - until the water level reaches the level of the rice.
• Don't walk away, it happens sooner that you think.
• Stir the rice once and reduce the heat to low and cover (I turned off the heat, but left the covered pot on the burner for 25 minutes as I have an electric stove). Set the timer to 20 minutes and walk away.
• Do not uncover, think about or, most definitely, stir the rice.
• If you are using any fresh/frozen vegetables, now would be a good time to blanch in boiling water with up to ¼ teaspoon salt - when the water comes back to a boil - remove and drain
• Chop onions and ham (if needed)
• About 10 to 15 minutes after the rice has been covered.
• Using a medium skillet over medium heat add ham and blanched veggies - after a minute of two add chopped green onions (you want them to be slightly softened, but not fully cooked) then when everything is heated add canned peas - you want everything warm, but not over cooked.
• Uncover the perfect rice, add ham and veggies and fluff. You can leave the rice covered in a heavy pot and it will stay hot and in good shape for about an hour.