Go Back
A whole roast chicken in a roasting pan with halved citrus fruits around it
Print Recipe
4.67 / 9 votes

Roast Chicken with Citrus

This roast chicken with citrus is made by stuffing a whole chicken with orange, lemon, garlic, and herbs and then roasting it until the skin is crisp and the meat infused with the lilt of citrus. Simple and elegant.
Prep Time40 minutes
Cook Time2 hours
Total Time2 hours 40 minutes
Course: Mains
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 511

Ingredients

  • One (3- to 4-pound) whole chicken
  • 3 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 small orange, preferably organic, quartered
  • 1 lemon, preferably organic, quartered
  • 6 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 4 thyme sprigs, plus 1 tablespoon chopped thyme leaves
  • 2 rosemary sprigs
  • 4 cups homemade chicken stock or canned chicken broth
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 to 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, or as needed
US - Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
  • Pat the chicken dry inside and out. Season the inside with 2 teaspoons salt and the pepper. Place as many of the orange and lemon quarters, garlic cloves, and herb sprigs in the cavity as will fit. Cross the legs one over the other or tie them together with kitchen string to hold the contents inside. Tuck the wings underneath the chicken as if it was putting its arms behind its head. Squeeze a lemon quarter over the the chicken and rub the juice into the skin, then sprinkle the chicken with the remaining 1 teaspoon salt.
  • Place the chicken, breast side up, in a roasting pan. Toss any remaining orange and lemon quarters, garlic, and herb sprigs in the pan. Roast until the chicken's juices run clear when a thigh is pierced with a fork or an instant-read thermometer registers 160°F (71°C) when inserted into the thickest part of a thigh, 1 1/2 to 2 hours, depending on the size. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board, cover loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest for 10 minutes.
  • While the chicken rests, pour 1 cup stock into the roasting pan and stir to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom. Strain the pan juices through a fine-mesh sieve into a saucepan and place over low heat. Add the butter and the remaining 3 cups stock and swirl the pan gently until the butter melts. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the flour over the liquid and whisk until it dissolves and the juices have thickened a little, 3 to 5 minutes. If a thicker sauce is desired, sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons flour, or more as needed, and whisk again.
  • Squeeze the juice from the orange and lemon quarters into the pan and cook, stirring, until the juices have thickened a little more and are glossy, about 5 minutes. The pan sauce should be thinner than a gravy and just lightly coat the back of a spoon. Stir in the chopped thyme. Taste and adjust the seasoning. (You'll have ample pan sauce, but it's lovely spooned over rice or potatoes or virtually anything else you can think to put on the same plate as this citrus roast chicken.)
  • Carve the roast chicken and arrange on a platter. Serve with the warm juices on the side.

Nutrition

Serving: 1portion | Calories: 511kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 139mg | Sodium: 2185mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g