Chicken á l’Orange

Amarante

Tue, Jun 30 2020, 10:12 am

This was a very easy dish and extremely tasty. I don't ever have non-sweet oranges available so I added a tablespoon of lemon juice to up the acidity. I wouldn't use pre-made orange juice. I have those citrus reamers with handles (large for oranges and smaller for lemons and limes) and I seem to get a better juice for cooking.

Sauce can be made beforehand and so this is an extremely easy dish to make since you just pour the sauce over the chicken and then bake until done. Very Happy

Chicken á l’Orange

Excerpt From: Zuretha Roos - Roast Duck on Sunday.

Serves 4–6

Like many of our recipes, this one improves in flavour if made ahead of time: a recipe quality I appreciate! So much easier than ‘serve immediately’, which does not really work in my house. Do use sweet oranges in season; this is an ideal winter dish when citrus is in season. Please taste the sauce, as it might need adjusting. Serve with opposite, mild tastes, like broccoli and brown rice. Zuri

1.5 kg chicken pieces
250 ml (1 cup) freshly squeezed orange juice
30 ml (2 Tbsp) grated orange zest (avoid the white pith)
80–90 ml honey
30 ml (2 Tbsp) wholegrain mustard
45 ml (3 Tbsp) soy sauce
15 ml (1 Tbsp) chopped fresh rosemary
5 ml (1 tsp) dried chilli flakes (optional)
about 5 ml salt
45 ml (3 Tbsp) medium cream sherry or brandy

Preheat the oven to 180 ºC. Pack the chicken pieces, skin-side up, in a large ovenproof dish, preferably in one snug layer.

In a small pot, combine the remaining sauce ingredients, except the sherry or brandy.
Simmer the sauce, stirring now and then, until it has reduced by a quarter or more. This reduction process will thicken it slightly and intensify the flavours. Do watch, as it can boil over on high heat – you want a brisk, bubbly simmer. Don’t worry if some foam forms, as it will disappear as the sauce simmers.

Remove the reduced sauce from the heat and add the sherry or brandy. The alcohol will evaporate in the roasting process, but gives a nice flavour overlay.

Taste the sauce, being careful not to burn your tongue! If too acidic, stir in more honey. You want a tangy taste.

Pour the orange sauce over the chicken and bake for about 45 minutes, but after 15 minutes, lay a piece of foil loosely over the chicken to prevent burning. Baste the chicken with the sauce a few times while cooking. Remove the foil when the chicken is nearly done, to let it brown.

If you have quite a bit of sauce left in the dish, you can reduce it further in a small pot and serve it on the side.