Orange Roasted Chicken Spatchcock Style

Servings: 4-6

• Prep Time: 30mins
• Cook Time: 3hrs
• Total Time: 3hrs 30mins

Ingredients

• 1) 5 pound / 2kg 270g whole roasting chicken
• 2) 0.5 pound / 227g carrots, washed, tops removed and cut in half
• 3) 1 large naval orange, quartered, skin left on
• 4) 0.5 pound onion, peeled and quartered
• 5) 0.5 head organic celery, washed and quartered
• 6) 1 bottle Blue Moon or other light ale (optional)
• 7) 430ml chicken stock
• 8) 1 punch parsley with stems
• 9) 6 black peppercorns
• 10) 3 bay leaves
• 11) 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 12) 3 garlic cloves, crushed

Steps

• 1) Using a very sharp knife, or kitchen shears, remove backbone and wing tips from chicken.
  Refrigerate chicken and place back and wing tips in a five quart or larger pot.
• 2) Add carrots, quartered orange, onions, celery, beer, stock, parsley, peppercorns, bay leaves, salt and garlic.
• 3) Cover with water to a few inches above solids and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook 90 minutes, adding more water as needed.
  After 90 minutes pour entire mixture in bottom of roasting pan and place an inverted V-Shaped rack over the stock and solids.
• 4) Remove chicken from refrigeration and preheat oven to 350ºF / 177ºC.
• 5) Run your fingers between skin and the meat of the chicken to loosen skin but keep it attached at edges.
• 6) Slice both ends off the orange and slice the remainder into thin slices.
• 7) Slide the orange slices between the skin and the meat on the breasts and thighs.
• 8) Combine all of the herbs and spices in a small bowl. Set aside.
• 9) Brush the butter all over the skin then sprinkle the herbs and spices over that.
• 10) Roast uncovered for 90 minutes until browned and meat starts to pull away from the bone.
  Check pan bottom every 30 minutes and add water to keep from drying out. At the end, you should be left with two cups.
• 11) Remove chicken to a platter and don’t carve for 15 minutes.
• 12) While chicken is resting, strain stock and discard solids.
• 13) Remove the fat that floats to the top and discard. The remaining stock will be served with the chicken but in keeping with the Whole 30 plan, will not be thickened with any flour.
• 14) Slice the chicken and serve with the sauce. The orange skin that was cooked under the chicken skin can be eaten or discarded, your choice.