ANCHO ORANGE ROAST CHICKEN

Ancho Orange Roast Chicken image

This produces a wonderfully tasty and beautiful roast chicken. It is not really spicy from the ancho, just incredibly floral and flavorful. I think it is company-worthy. The prep time includes marinating time.

Provided by under12parsecs

Time 9h30m

Yield 4 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 16

Ingredients

5 1/2 lbs whole chickens
1 orange, juice and zest
1 teaspoon dried ancho chile powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped
2 teaspoons fresh Italian parsley, chopped
2 teaspoons fresh lavender, chopped
2 teaspoons fresh chives, snipped
1/4 cup agave nectar or 1/4 cup honey
3 tablespoons garlic, minced
2 yellow onions, sliced
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

Steps:

Remove giblets and neck from cavity of chicken. Discard or save for another use. Rinse chicken inside and out and pat dry. Check the chicken for pin feathers and remove any that you see. Season liberally with salt and pepper inside the cavity of the chicken and on the skin.
In a gallon ziplock bag, combine orange juice, zest, ancho, paprika, cayenne, salt, pepper, thyme, rosemary, parsley, lavender, chives, agave nectar, and garlic. Place the chicken in the bag and seal. Then smoosh the chicken around to coat with the marinade and rub into the skin. Place the bag into a dish in case it begins to leak. Place in the fridge overnight or up to 24 hours. Turn the chicken over halfway through marinating time.
Remove the chicken from the fridge about 30 minutes before roasting to allow it to come up slightly in temperature so that it will cook more evenly. Truss the chicken ( you can find instructions on how to do this on youtube). Preheat the oven to 425* F. Place the sliced onions in the bottom of a roasting pan, place the trussed chicken on the onions and pour the marinade over all. Drizzle the chicken with the olive oil and rub into the skin slightly.
Roast for 20 minutes at 425* then reduce heat to 350*. Continue roasting for 45-55 minutes, basting the chicken every 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow the chicken to rest for 15 minutes before slicing to allow the juices to redistribute.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 942.7, Fat 66.5, SaturatedFat 18.6, Cholesterol 294.1, Sodium 2033.4, Carbohydrate 12.2, Fiber 2.5, Sugar 5.6, Protein 70.7