Description
This Honey Oven Roasted Whole Chicken is a sweet and savory dish featuring tender chicken coated in a flavorful orange-honey garlic sauce. Perfectly roasted in the oven or a Dutch oven, this recipe is easy to prepare and ideal for family dinners or holiday gatherings!
Ingredients
Marinade:
- 2 oranges (3 oranges, for optional topping)
- 1 tsp dried thyme or 1 Tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1/4 cup light olive oil
- 1/8 to 1/4 cup honey (1/4 the for larger chicken)
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic (about 3 cloves)
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 tsp Kosher salt and black pepper, each
For the Pot
- 3 to 3.5 pound whole young chicken
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1/2 onion or 1 large shallot.
- Optional Garnishes - Fresh thyme and orange slices
Instructions
Prep – Be sure to first remove giblets and excess fat from the chicken.
- Prepare the marinade by whisking together all the marinade ingredients in a medium bowl until well combined. Set it aside.
- Prepare the chicken by patting it thoroughly dry with paper towels, ensuring the skin is as dry as possible. This step is key for achieving crispy skin.
- Marinate the chicken by rubbing/brushing as much of the marinade as possible all over the chicken, including under the skin. Since the marinade is liquidy, work carefully to coat the chicken evenly.
- Stuff the cavity with half a whole orange, a few onion slices, and three sprigs of thyme. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine to keep everything in place.
- Place the chicken in a roasting pan or a Dutch oven breast side up. Pour the remaining marinade over the chicken and ensure it’s evenly distributed using your hands or a brush. Arrange extra orange and onion slices around the chicken for added flavor, then cover the pan with foil.
- Roast the chicken by preheating the oven to 400°F (200°C) and roasting it, covered, for 45 minutes.
- Baste and continue roasting by removing the foil, basting the chicken with the juices in the pan, and adding a bit of broth or water if the pan looks dry. Continue to roast uncovered for another 30 -40 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) when measured in the thickest part of the breast or thigh.
- For crispier skin, broil the chicken for 1-2 minutes at the end of cooking.
- Remove the chicken from the oven and spoon any extra juice from the pot over the chicken.
- Rest the chicken for 10–15 minutes before carving to allow the juices to redistribute. Serve with the roasted orange and onion slices for extra flavor.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Notes
Baking Tips – This recipe can easily be made in a roasting pan or casserole dish. Extra oil for the pan may be needed depending on the type of baking dish used to prevent the chicken from sticking.
Larger Chicken – The general guideline is to roast at 400 F is approximately 15 minutes per pound, which would be about 1 hour and 30 minutes total for a 6-pound chicken. However, the actual cooking time may vary depending on your oven and the chicken.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 45-55 min
- Category: Main
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Calories: 279
- Sugar: 13.1 g
- Sodium: 52.8 mg
- Fat: 16.9 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 15.4 g
- Fiber: 1.1 g
- Protein: 17.5 g
- Cholesterol: 52 mg