Garlic-Butter Rubbed Chicken with Roasted Oranges and Onions

I saw this Martha Stewart recipe online and decided it would be perfect for dinner. I have a busy afternoon and I am happy the chicken cooks at high heat with little fuss. I can’t even explain how amazing my house smelled while the chicken, onions, and oranges all roasted together! The chicken skin was crisp on the outside and the meat was tender, juicy, and so flavorful. I am looking forward to the leftover for lunch tomorrow. I paired this garlic-butter rubbed chicken with roasted oranges and onions with roasted acorn squash and roasted Parmesan asparagus.

How to Make a Garlic-Butter Rubbed Chicken with Roasted Oranges and Onions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Coat a roasting sheet and rack with olive oil cooking spray.

Season the backside of the bird well with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Place the bird, breast side up, on a roasting rack in a roasting pan.

Mix the butter, zest from 1 orange, 1 minced garlic clove, and chopped thyme until well combined.

Gently separate the skin from the breast of the chicken, and rub some of the butter mixture under the skin on each side. Rub a bit more butter on top of the chicken skin, wings, and legs. Season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste.

Fill the cavity with 2 orange wedges, 1 onion wedge, one garlic clove, and the thyme sprigs. Tie legs together with kitchen twine. Scatter remaining oranges and onions around the chicken. Dot oranges and onions with a touch of the remaining butter mixture.

Roast for 30 minutes. Brush chicken with the remaining butter mixture. Flip oranges and onions. Rotate sheet, and roast for 15-20 minutes more. Remove oranges and onions if caramelized. Roast chicken until juices run clear and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh reaches 165 degrees, 10 to 15 minutes more. Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving with the roasted onions and oranges on the side. Enjoy.

 

Garlic-Butter Rubbed Chicken with Roasted Oranges and Onions

 

Yield: 6-8   

Total Time: 70-80 minutes +/-

Ingredients:

1 4 lb whole chicken
2 tbsp butter, softened
Zest from 1 orange
2 cloves of garlic, divided – 1 minced for butter and 1 whole for the cavity
2 tsp fresh thyme leaves + 3 sprigs
2 navel oranges, cut into 2 inch wedges
1 red onion, cut into 2 inch wedges
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Coat a roasting sheet and rack with olive oil cooking spray.

Season the backside of the bird well with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Place the bird, breast side up, on a roasting rack in a roasting pan.

Mix the butter, zest from 1 orange, 1 minced garlic clove, and chopped thyme until well combined. Gently separate the skin from the breast of the chicken, and rub some of the butter mixture under the skin on each side. Rub a bit more butter on top of the chicken skin, wings, and legs. Season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste.

Fill the cavity with 2 orange wedges, 1 onion wedge, one garlic clove, and the thyme sprigs. Tie legs together with kitchen twine. Scatter remaining oranges and onions around chicken. Dot oranges and onions with a touch of remaining butter mixture.

Roast for 30 minutes. Brush chicken with the remaining butter mixture. Flip oranges and onions. Rotate sheet, and roast for 15-20 minutes more. Remove oranges and onions if caramelized. Roast chicken until juices run clear and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh reaches 165 degrees, 10 to 15 minutes more. Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Enjoy.

 

Adapted recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net
Original recipe by Martha Stewart