I love beginning the day with a really delicious jam. But I take even more pleasure in spreading the flavor into evening with a golden, glazed roast chicken. In almost any weather but especially when the air is chilly a bird roasting in the oven and filling the kitchen with warmth and good scents makes me very happy. Apricot orange jam is the basis for a pretty perfect glaze. Here is an astoundingly delicious and beautiful bird to grace your table and warm up the house for friends and family.
Roast Apricot Orange Chicken and Shallots
Serves 4
For the apricot orange glaze
2 tablespoons Bonnie’s Jams Apricot Orange
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon grainy mustard
1 tablespoon olive oil
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 orange
Pinch of salt
1. In a small bowl, stir together the jam, ginger, mustard, oil, orange zest, orange juice and salt.
For the chicken
1 whole organic chicken (about 4 pounds)
Salt and pepper, to taste
12 shallots (about 1 pound), peeled
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Season the chicken inside and out with salt and pepper. If the shallots are large, halve them lengthwise.
2. In a roasting pan or an ovenproof skillet, toss the shallots with the olive oil, salt, and pepper.
3. Spoon 2 tablespoons of the glaze inside the chicken. With an 8-inch length of kitchen twine, tie the legs together. Set the chicken on top of the shallots. Spoon and spread the remaining glaze over the chicken.
4. Roast for 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken registers 165 degrees and the chicken is golden brown. Check after about 45 minutes, and if the skin starts to brown too quickly, cover loosely with foil.
5. Remove the chicken from the oven and let rest in a warm place for 10 minutes before carving. Serve with the shallots and tasty pan juices.
