Two kinds of citrus and a little Aleppo pepper give this moist, juicy roast chicken dinner its sensational taste and star power. Serve it with rainbow carrots and roasted potatoes for a memorable meal!
Ingredients
6 Servings
- 1 lemon
- 2 teaspoons aleppo chili pepper (or ground dried guajillo or California chilies)
- 1 teaspoon orange zest (after zesting, cut the fruit into wedges and save for serving)
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar (packed)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt (divided)
- 1 teaspoon black pepper (divided)
- 2 garlic cloves (minced)
- 1 whole chicken (about 4 1/2 pounds, neck and giblets removed)
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (divided)
- 2 leeks (medium)
- 1 bunch rainbow carrots (with tops, scrubbed; 6 to 8 medium carrots, and a mix of orange, white, and red)
- 1 1/2 pounds potatoes (about 2 inches long, a mix of red and Yukon Gold, scrubbed)
- freshly chopped parsley (or thyme leaves, plus sprigs, for serving)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400°. Zest lemon (save the lemon) and put zest in a small bowl. Add Aleppo pepper, orange zest, brown sugar, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, and garlic, and stir to blend.
Set chicken in a large roasting pan (12 by 14 inches to 13 by 16 inches). Quarter lemon and place in cavity of chicken. Tie legs of chicken together with kitchen string. Fold wingtips under bird. Rub chicken all over with 1 tablespoon olive oil, then with citrus rub. Arrange chicken with breast side up in center of pan and set aside.
Trim ends and tough outer leaves from leeks down to white and light green parts only. Cut leeks into 1 ½-inch chunks and rinse well. Trim tops from carrots, leaving about 2 inches of stems.
Arrange leeks, carrots, and potatoes around chicken. Drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, season with remaining 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper, and toss to coat. (Vegetables should be in a single layer; if pan is too crowded, transfer some to a small baking dish.)
Following the insertion guide on the Yummly Thermometer app, insert a thermometer at an angle into the thickest part of the chicken breast not touching bone all the way to the black cap so the metal on the thermometer is completely covered.
Roast chicken and vegetables until the thermometer indicates the chicken has reached about 163°, about 1 hour and 10 minutes.
Transfer chicken to a cutting board and let rest about 15 minutes. Carve meat, or cut chicken into portions with sturdy kitchen scissors. Arrange chicken and vegetables on a large platter, discarding lemon wedges. Pour pan juices into a small bowl (or if you only have a small amount, just drizzle them over the chicken and veggies). Scatter chopped parsley or thyme over chicken and vegetables, and tuck in fresh herb sprigs. Squeeze reserved orange wedges on top if you like.
No Comments