Give this orange roast chicken recipe a try; you will love it! The juicy whole chicken is easy to make and perfect for a cozy Sunday at home.
This whole orange roast chicken recipe is amazing! Cooked in one pot and made with just a few simple ingredients, such as oranges and carrots, it is perfect for a family dinner or a celebration.
If you like roasted chicken and carrots, you should try my grandmother's roasted chicken legs and vegetables; they are divine! Or learn How to Roast a Whole Chicken, a basic recipe that's easy and delicious.
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Recipe ingredients
- A whole chicken weighing around 3 lbs/1.4 kg (a little more or less than that is ok).
- Oranges: It's preferable to use unwaxed, organic oranges as you will use them completely, not only the juice.
- If you like the orange and chicken combination, try this Orange Sauce for Chicken Breast, too.
- Carrots: You will cook them together with the chicken.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to roast chicken with oranges?
Step #1: Brown the seasoned chicken in a large skillet, breast side first.
Step #2: Continue browning it on all sides and turn it around using tongs.
Step #3: Stuff the chicken and bind the legs with kitchen string. Place it on the oranges and vegetables in the pot. Add orange juice.
Step #4: Roast, covered, for 1 ½ hours or until cooked through. Baste, sprinkle with sesame seeds, and roast, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Rest while you make the gravy.
Try this recipe for Dutch Oven Roasted Chicken, too! Or make Roasted Half Chicken.
Good to know!
Don't wash the chicken! According to USDA (the link opens in a new tab), washing poultry and meat is not recommended as it will only spread bacteria to other foods, surfaces, and utensils (cross-contamination). You will not be able to remove harmful bacteria with water, no matter how thorough you are; only cooking the meat to the right temperature will destroy it.
The safe internal temperature for chicken is 165°F/ 74°C.
Browning the chicken first is crucial for achieving a crispy, golden skin. Since the orange roast chicken is mostly cooked covered in a pot, the last 10 minutes without a lid will not be sufficient for the desired color and crunchiness.
What to do with chicken leftovers?
Use the carcass to make chicken stock. If you don't want to make the stock immediately, place the bones in a freezer bag and freeze them until ready to make stock.
Use the leftover orange roasted chicken to make salads, sandwiches, chicken fricassee, soup, fried rice or fried noodles, and so on. Try these Creamy Enchiladas in Red Sauce, for instance.
Orange Roast Chicken
Equipment
- Dutch oven or another oven-proof pot with a lid
Ingredients
- 3 lbs whole chicken 1.4 kg, Note 1
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3 large oranges divided, Note 2
- 5 sprigs thyme divided
- 2 small onions
- 1 lb carrots 450 g
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
Prepare the chicken:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/ 180°C.
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Rub it all over with salt and pepper, including inside the cavity.3 lbs whole chicken1.4 kg + ½ teaspoon fine sea salt + ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- Brown chicken: Heat the oil in a skillet. Brown the chicken, turning it, until golden on all sides.2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Prepare the vegetables: Juice two of the oranges. Set the juice aside; you should have more or less ⅔ cup/ 150 ml of orange juice; you can top that with water if you don't have quite enough juice. Stuff two or three of the juiced orange halves into the cavity of the chicken. Place 3 thyme sprigs into the cavity as well. Bind the chicken legs together. Transfer the chicken to an ovenproof pot.2 of the 3 large oranges +3 of the 5 sprigs thyme
- Assemble the pot: Cut the remaining orange into wedges. Peel and cut the carrots into sticks, about 2 inches/ 5 cm long. Peel and cut the onions into wedges. Arrange the orange wedges, carrots, and onions around the chicken in the pot. Season with salt and pepper, and add the remaining thyme sprigs. Pour the freshly squeezed orange juice all around the chicken.1 orange + 1 lb carrots/ 450 g + 2 small onions + rest of thyme
- Roast: Cover the pot and cook for 1 ½ hours or until cooked through. The internal temperature measured with a meat thermometer should be 165°F/74°C (the juices should run clear). The carrots should also be tender.
- Roast uncovered: Baste the chicken with some of the cooking juices and sprinkle it with the sesame seeds. Return to the oven and cook, uncovered, for a further 10 minutes.1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- Rest the chicken: Transfer the chicken and the vegetables to a serving platter and keep them warm. Let the chicken rest for 10-15 minutes before carving.
- Make the gravy: Sieve the juices from the pot into a small pan and bring them to a boil. In the meantime, whisk together the cornstarch with 1-2 tablespoons of cold water until you obtain a thick yet pourable paste. Slowly pour the cornstarch paste into the simmering gravy while whisking continuously. Let bubble once or twice and remove from the heat.1 tablespoon cornstarch
- Carve the chicken and serve immediately.
Notes
- Chicken size: Between 2.5 oz/1.2 kg and 3.5/ 1.5 kg oz is ok.
- Oranges: It is preferable to use unwaxed, organic oranges as you will need them whole.
Marvellina|What To Cook Today says
I hear you! I love chicken too. While I'm trying to cut down on overall meat intake, I can't commit to being a vegetarian or vegan 🙂 Orange and chicken are great combinations too!
Nammi says
Oh wow, this looks so good, I love a good roast chicken. Have baked with lemons but never with oranges . Cant wait to give this a try. Have a nice weekend
angiesrecipes says
I love whole roasted chicken, but actually haven't baked one with citrus. Can't wait to try it!