For our Seder this year for Passover I decided to make roasted chicken. But not just any roasted chicken.
I found what I was looking for when I discovered a recipe for Roasted Chicken with Clementines by Yotam Ottolenghi, an Israeli–English chef, restaurant owner, and food writer.
I used his recipe as my guide, but made my own substitutions and additions where I saw fit. It is a keeper!
Here’s what I did…
Roasted Chicken with Mandarins, Meyer Lemons, Fennel and Onions (serve 8)
(adapted from Roasted Chicken with Clementines, Yotam Ottolenghi)
Ingredients
½ cup arak, Pernod, ouzo, or white wine (all optional)
¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ cup freshly squeezed mandarin or orange juice
½ cup freshly squeezed Meyer lemon juice
6- 8 tablespoons grainy mustard (such as Grey Poupon country mustard)
4 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 tablespoons good quality honey
2 medium fennel bulbs trimmed, halved lengthwise, and then each half cut into 4 wedges
1-2 large onions, peeled, halved lengthwise and cut each half into 4 wedges
2 large (4 and ½ to 5# each) organic chickens, backbone removed and each cut into quarters
6 mandarins, (or a mix of regular and blood mandarins if you can find them) unpeeled and cut horizontally into ¼ inch slices
2 to 3 Meyer lemons, unpeeled and cut horizontally into ¼ inch slices
the leaves of several fresh sprigs of thyme
2 and ½ teaspoons of fennel seeds, lightly crushed with a rolling pin
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Italian flat leaf parsley or more fresh thyme to garnish
Instructions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Mix the first 7, or if not using the liquor or wine, 6 ingredients together in a bowl to make the sauce, and set aside.
In two very large rimmed baking sheets arrange the chicken, skin side up, fennel, onions, mandarin and Meyer lemon slices. Everything should be more or less in one layer so chicken will brown nicely.
(Another tip for ensuring a well browned and crispy skin is to leave the chicken pieces only, uncovered, in a sheet pan overnight in the fridge. Remove to room temperature the next day discarding any liquid with a paper towel which has accumulated, and then continue with the recipe).
Sprinkle everything generously with salt and fresh cracked pepper. Add the fennel seeds and the fresh thyme leaves. Pour half of the sauce over all.
Squeeze the juice of any odd citrus pieces which remain over all.
Put the pans into the preheated oven on the middle and lower racks.
Let the chicken roast for about 40 to 50 minutes, rotating pans and switching racks halfway through so they will cook and brown evenly. allow extra time if needed.
Meanwhile heat the remaining sauce in a small saucepan, and bring to a boil. Reduce the sauce so it thickens a bit.
Pour this sauce over the chicken about 10 minutes before it is finished cooking.
Serve on a platter garnished with fresh parsley or fresh thyme.
So delicious!!!
