Roast Chicken for the Holidays
◷2.5 hours
The simplest and best festive bird: chicken with apples, prunes and juniper, finished with an orange glaze and pomegranate.
Ingredients
◎6 servings
Chicken
Chicken(whole)1.5–2
Salt1.5–2
Ground black pepper0.5–1
Vegetable oil2–3
Stuffing
Apples1–2
Prunes6–10
Garlic(cut in half)1 head
Fresh thyme2–3
Juniper berries(lightly crushed)4–6
Glaze
Orange juice2 tbsp
Honey(or syrup)1 tsp
Saltpinch
To decorate
Pomegranate seeds(seeds)3–4
Fresh rosemaryto taste
Orange(wedges, roasted)to taste
Instructions
1
Rinse and dry the chicken. Rub it inside and out with salt and black pepper, leave for 30 minutes, then brush with oil all over.
2
Put the apple pieces, prunes, half a head of garlic, thyme and the crushed juniper berries inside. Tie the legs with string.
3
Roast for 1.5 to 2 hours at 170–180 °C with top and bottom heat. The time depends on size: a small bird needs 1.5 hours. Baste the chicken with the juices from the dish every 30–40 minutes.
4
20–25 minutes before the end, mix the orange juice, honey, salt and 1 tbsp. of the juices from the dish, brush the chicken and roast until it takes on an amber shine.
5
Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes. Decorate with pomegranate seeds, sprigs of rosemary and wedges of roasted orange, and scatter with coarse sea salt if you like.