I always say one can never have too many chicken recipes. (Of course, I always also say one can never have too many brownie or chocolate chip cookie recipes either, but that’s a different article!)Especially at this time of year, when entertaining straddles the fine line between the desire for new and the pull toward tradition, roast chicken becomes a delicious and easy solution to this quandary. Chicken is eminently versatile, garbing itself in new flavours as if they were always part of its regular wardrobe. To boot, roasting two chicken is as easy as roasting one, tailoring itself to fit a smaller crowd as easily as a larger gathering. The following four recipes hopefully introduce some unique tastes to your Rosh Hashanah dinner, the new accents a harbinger of all things wonderful to come in the new year.
Cranberry Honey Glaze
1-1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
3/4 cup honey
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 tbsp. chopped fresh thyme
1 6-lb. chicken
1 large onion, peeled and cut into quarters
2 carrots, peeled and halved
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 375. In saucepan, combine cranberries, honey and vinegar. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to medium and simmer for about 5 minutes or just until cranberries pop. Pour mixture into food processor; puree until smooth. Press through fine mesh sieve into bowl and stir in fresh thyme. Let glaze cool slightly.
Remove giblets and neck from chicken. Rinse and pat chicken dry inside and out. Stuff cavity with onion, carrots and thyme sprigs. Tie legs together with string and tuck wings under back.
Place chicken, breast side up, on rack in roasting pan. Rub oil all over chicken then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Brush half of the cranberry honey glaze all over chicken. Roast in centre of preheated oven for 45 minutes. Brush remaining glaze over chicken. Roast for 45 to 60 more minutes or until juices run clear when chicken is pierced and meat thermometer inserted in thigh registers 185F.
Tent with foil for 10 minutes. Carve and serve. Makes 6 to 8 serving
1 cup Dijon mustard
2 large shallots, minced
1/4 cup minced garlic
2 tbsp. chopped fresh thyme
1 tbsp. honey
1/2 tsp. each salt and pepper
1 large chicken (about 6 lb. – or two 3-lb. chickens)
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
In small bowl, stir together Dijon, shallots, garlic, thyme, honey, grainy mustard and half of salt and pepper.
Remove giblets and neck from chicken. Rinse and pat chicken dry inside and out. Rub 1/3 of mustard paste into cavity. Tie legs together with string and tuck wings under back. Sprinkle top of chicken with remaining salt and pepper. Rub remaining paste all over outside of chicken. (Chicken can be prepared up to this point and refrigerated, covered, for up to 24 hours. Bring to room temperature for 30 minutes.)
Preheat oven to 375. Place chicken, breast side up, on rack in roasting pan. Drizzle oil over chicken. Bake in centre of preheated oven for about 2 hours or until juices run clear when chicken is pierced and meat thermometer inserted in thigh reads 185F
Tent with foil for 10 minutes. Carve and serve. Makes 6 to 8 servings.
1-1/2 cups orange juice
1/3 cup honey
2 tbsp. soy sauce
2 tbsp. minced canned chipotle chilies in adobo sauce (another hot sauce can be substituted)
2 tbsp. chopped fresh coriander
1 large chicken (about 5 lb.)
1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper
1 cup dry white wine
In saucepan, combine orange juice, honey and soy sauce and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes or until glazelike and syrupy. Stir in chipotles and coriander. Let cool slightly.
Preheat oven to 375. Remove giblets and neck from chicken. Rinse and pat chicken dry inside and out. Tie legs together with string; tuck wings under back. Place chicken, breast side up, on rack in roasting pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Brush half of the glaze all over chicken. Pour wine into roasting pan. Roast in centre of preheated oven for 45 minute, basting twice. Brush with remaining glaze. Roast for 45 to 60 more minutes, basting once, or until juices run clear when chicken is pierced and meat thermometer inserted in thigh registers 185F.
Tent with foil for 10 minutes. Carve and serve. Makes 6 to 8 servings.
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup sherry or white wine
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp. minced fresh gingerroot
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 tbsp. sesame oil
1 tbsp. five spice powder
1 tsp. pepper
6 green onions, trimmed
1 large chicken (5 – 6 lb)
1 piece lemon grass or 1 lemon, quartered
1 piece fresh gingerroot (about 1-in.) )
4 cloves garlic
In a large baking dish, stir together soy sauce, sherry, garlic, ginger, vegetable oil and sesame oil, five spice powder, pepper and green onions. Add chicken to baking dish, turning to coat all over. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or for up to 24 hours. Bring to room temperature for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375. Bang on lemon grass until slightly crushed. Place in cavity of chicken along with whole ginger and garlic cloves. Tie legs together with string and tuck wings under back. Place breast side down in roasting pan. Bake in centre of preheated oven for 45 minutes. Turn chicken breast side up. Cook for 45 to 60 minutes more or until juices run clear when chicken is pierced and meat thermometer inserted in thigh reads 185F. Run under broiler for 2 to 3 minutes to darken, if desired.
Tent with foil for 10 minutes. Carve and serve. Makes 6 to 8 servings.
