Dec 29 2008
Italian Roast Chicken Recipe
This delicious roasted chicken recipe can be prepared in about 2 hours.
Ingredients:
- 1 lemon
1 roasting chicken, about 5 pounds
Grated zest of 1 lemon, then lemon cut into quarters
Grated zest of 1 orange, then orange cut into quarters
3 tablespoons peeled and grated fresh ginger root
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
½ cup fresh orange juice
3 tablespoons honey
Orange sections for garnish
Directions
- Preheat an oven to 350º F.
Cut the lemon into quarters.
Rub the outside of the chicken with one of the lemon quarters, then discard.
In a small bowl, stir together the lemon and orange zests and 1 tablespoon of the grated ginger.
Rub this mixture evenly in the cavity.
Put the lemon and orange quarters inside the chicken.
Place the chicken on a rack in a roasting pan.
Sprinkle it with salt and pepper.
In the now-empty small bowl, combine the melted margarine or olive oil, lemon and orange juices, honey, and the remaining 2 tablespoons ginger. Mix well.
Place the chicken in the oven and roast, basting with the citrus juice mixture at least 4 times during cooking, until the juices run clear when the thigh is pierced with a knife, about 1 hour.
Transfer to a serving platter and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Carve the chicken. Garnish with orange sections.
Variation: Use 4 tablespoons pomegranate juice in place of the lemon juice.
from Cucina Ebraica: Flavors of the Italian Jewish Kitchen, by Joyce Goldstein

Just tried this last night and it was a hit with the fam. Went a little heavy on the salt and pepper but oh well