chicken is my favourite meat, I love roasting it whole and having it with roast dinner or even just using the meat in a sandwich. this recipe is from eva komos flores from adventures in cooking new book “adventures in chicken”. if you love chicken like me then you need to get it. this chicken is flavoured with blood oranges, rosemary, white wine and spices like cinnamon and cardamom and is perfect for the citrus season. my dad gave me this vintage copper pan for Christmas, it belonged to him and when I saw it in his kitchen when I visited him in France last I kept on about how much I loved it so he reluctantly let me have it. I found this huge pastry brush on ebay and had to have it (that’s where I find most of my props), there is something so beautiful about old fashioned kitchenalia that I just love.

recipe from adventures in chicken

Orange Brine

• 8 cups water
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 6 tablespoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 whole chicken, about 4 pounds, innards removed

Blood Orange Glaze

• 1/4 cup chicken stock
• 3 tablespoons blood orange juice
• 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons white wine
• 2 tablespoons rendered duck fat
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

Roast Chicken

• 1 tablespoon rendered duck fat
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 3 blood oranges, cut into 12ths (can substitute navel oranges)

1. To brine the chicken, in a large bowl, whisk together the water, orange juice, salt, and cinnamon until combined. Place the chicken in a gallon-size resealable plastic bag and empty the brine into the bag with the chicken. Press out as much air as possible before sealing the bag and refrigerating it. Allow the chicken to rest in the brine overnight.
2. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. For the glaze, in a small saucepan, bring the stock, blood orange juice, brown sugar, wine, duck fat, salt, cinnamon, allspice, and cardamom to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until thickened slightly, about 10 minutes. Set aside.
4. To roast the chicken, remove the chicken from the brine, rinse lightly, and pat dry. Rub it down inside and out with the duck fat, minced rosemary, and salt. Place the chicken in a roasting pan, place the rosemary sprig in the cavity, and truss. Arrange the blood orange slices in the pan around the chicken. Pour the glaze into the pan around the chicken and lightly brush the chicken with the glaze.
5. Roast for 15 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 375[dg]F and continue roasting, brushing the bird with the pan drippings every 15 minutes, for 50 minutes to 1 hour more, until a thermometer inserted into the thigh of the bird reads at least 165[dg]F, tenting the pan with foil if the bird is browning too quickly.
6. Allow the bird to rest for 20 minutes before carving and serving.