Citrus Basil Roasted Chicken

Photos By Leandra Blei

Yum. Roasted Chicken. So Good. I loooove roasted chicken. Sliced up on a sandwich, right off the bone, shredded into salads, I mean the list is endless. What I really love about roasted chicken is....roasting the chicken. It's one of those dishes that takes a lot of care and affection. For me, watching the skin of a chicken get crispy, dark, and shiny is one of the most beautiful sites in this world. Apparently I'm not that hard to please. Roasted Chicken is such a versatile dish, you can flavor it with anything you desire. Herbs, some citrus, carrots, onions, celery, spices, etc., and of course, butter. Lots and lots of butter is the key to a crispy chicken skin.

My favorite thing to cook with, hands down is citrus. I love citrus. EVERYTHING needs a squeeze of citrus. I also love herbs. Fresh herbs can elevate any dish. For this chicken I was in the mood for something sweet, tangy, and fresh. Citrus Basil Roasted Chicken it is.

You will need:

• Whole Chicken (roaster between 5-6 lbs.)
• 1 cup Heavy Cream
• 1T honey
• 3 oranges
• 2 lemons
• 1 bunch Basil
• 5 cloves garlic (or less...or more, I'm Italian I can't help myself)
• 2 cups chicken stock
• freshly ground black pepper
• kosher salt
• Kitchen Twine

I started the night before by filling up the Chef'n Buttercup with 1 cup of heavy cream. Let it sit out on the counter for 6-8 hours at room temperature. In the morning chop up 1T of basil and zest 1 orange. Add this to the heavy cream. Also add 1T of honey. This is going to be the delicious butter that will go under the chicken skin. Shake the Chef'n Buttercup until you have a ball of butter sitting in buttermilk. Pour out the buttermilk. Save this!!! Now you have a fresh flavorful buttermilk. I used mine to make cornbread later. Yummy. Rinse off and drain the butter twice. Then set aside in the fridge. You can also use room temperature butter and mix the ingredients together.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Take your chicken and remove the giblets from the inside. Rinse the chicken inside the cavity and out. Remove any leftover feathers and excess fat. Pat dry with paper towels. Make sure the surface is completely dry before continuing. Season the inside of the chicken liberally with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Take the sweet, citrusy, basily, yummy, delicious, homemade butter from the fridge. Too descriptive? This stuff is what really gives the chicken its flavor. Take the butter and rub a tablespoon of it all over the chicken. Take the rest and place it under the skin and kind of give it a massage to really allow the flavors to infuse and the butter to spread. Cut the oranges and lemons in half and save one half of an orange. Squeeze the rest of the citrus juices over the entire bird. Stuff the bird with the citrus halves, garlic cloves, and the remaining basil. Season the outside of the bird liberally with kosher salt, and freshly ground pepper.

If you know how to truss a chicken do it! If you don't, I have an easy trick that will make anyone look like a pro! Take the wings and tuck them behind his back. Make sure they are in a position where they feel tight and locked in place. Next, take your kitchen twine and make a secure knot around the ankles of the chicken. Cross his legs and make a loop around each foot, then make a tight knot. Is it weird that I refer to my chicken as a "he"? I'm okay with it. Now, any roasting pan, baking pan, or cast iron skillet will work. I love the Sur La Table Oval Multipan. I have the green one and it is beautiful! Pictured in the link, they used the base to cook the chicken in, I actually used the lid! It fits the bird perfectly and is shallow so I can baste easily. Next, I take a large sheet of foil, bunch it up into a rope, and form it into an oval. Place the chicken on his back on top of the fancy foil oval. This helps the skin on the back of the chicken to not stick to the pan. You can also use veggies like pictured above by the wonderful Leandra Blei. What would I do without her? Just toss extra virgin olive oil and your choice of seasoning with any veggies you like and place the bird right on top. Easy!

Place the roasting pan on the middle rack in the center of the oven. Cook for 1 1/2 hours or until a thermometer reads 165 degrees F when placed in the largest part of the thigh. Baste every 15 minutes to get the beautiful crispy dark crust that I am obsessed with. Basting is just pouring the melted basil-orange butter mixed with chicken juices back onto the chicken to keep it moist while cooking. If you do not take the time to baste, then you are wasting a perfectly good chicken. Please don't waste a perfectly good chicken. I am very simple, I just use a good ol spoon to baste and it works perfectly. Remember to baste the whole chicken and not just the center of the breasts. After you baste for the final time take the last orange half and squeeze all over the bird. YUM.

Remove from the oven and let rest under loose foil for 10-15 minutes before you slice the chicken. If you cut into the chicken too early all the juices that make the chicken moist will rush out onto your cutting board. All that hard work for nothing. So sad.

While the chicken is resting take the juices at the bottom of the pan and add the chicken stock. Reduce on the top of the stove in a sauce pan by half. This thickens up all the chicken deliciousness into a jus. Oh my goodness, my mouth is watering just thinking about it. Roasted chicken can be used for many different dishes. Shredded into salads, on top of pizzas, sliced for sandwiches, or as whole pieces. Serve with your favorite roasted veggies. Enjoy!

Citrus & Basil Roasted Chicken

You will need:

• Whole Chicken (roaster between 5-6 lbs.)
• 1 cup Heavy Cream
• 1T honey
• 3 oranges
• 2 lemons
• 1 bunch Basil
• 5 cloves garlic (or less...I'm Italian I can't help myself)
• 2 cups chicken stock
• freshly ground black pepper
• kosher salt
• Kitchen Twine

1. Fill the Chef'n Buttercup with 1 cup heavy cream and set out 6-8 hours at room temperature.
2. Add 1T honey, zest of 1 orange, and 1T of chopped basil. Shake until a butter ball has formed. Drain off the buttermilk and rinse with cold water twice, and drain. Set butter in the fridge.
3. Remove the insides from the chicken, and excess fat, or leftover feathers. Rinse thoroughly inside and out, and pat dry. 
4. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
5. Season the inside of the cavity liberally with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.
6. Rub the outside of the bird with 1T of the basil-orange butter and then place the rest under the skin of the bird and massage in.
7. Squeeze all the citrus over the chicken, but leave one half of an orange. Season the outside of the chicken with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Stuff chicken with citrus halves, garlic cloves, and basil.
8. Put the chicken in a roasting pan over your favorite vegetables, and tuck the wings behind the back, loop kitchen twine around each ankle and tie together. Make sure they are secure.
9. Place the chicken in the center of the oven on the middle rack. Roast for 1 1/2 hours, or until a thermometer reads 165 degrees F when stuck into the largest part of the chicken thigh. Baste every 15 minutes.
10. When your chicken is done set to the side and cover with foil loosely. Let rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing.
11. While the chicken is resting, Take the chicken juices and add chicken stock. Reduce by half, until thickened. This is your jus. Serve with roasted vegetables. Enjoy!