Orange- Rosemary Roast Chicken

Lots of people have been asking me for recipes for whole chickens. Honestly, roasting a whole chicken is one of my favorite ways to eat chicken, not to mention that sometimes (like this week actually) you can get whole chicken for so cheap that it is a crime not to buy it. Of course you can bring it home and cut it yourself but there is just something about a whole roasted chicken- cooked right they come out succulent, moist, and juicy and just a few ingredients go a long way to give it great flavor. This combination of orange and rosemary really is divine with chicken. The taste wasn't too overwhelmingly orange and the orange wedges stuffed in the chicken helped to steam the chicken from the inside and contributed to its moistness. If you know me, or have ever eaten in my house, you would know that I rarely eat what I cook because by the time I sit down at the table after spending hours in the kitchen I just have no appetite anymore but I broke my own rule and devoured this chicken. With beautiful oranges in season now and whole chicken for a measly 10 shekel a kilo this is going to be my go to Friday night chicken. Mayonnaise may seem like an odd ingredient but it does what butter would do on a roasted chicken which is help the skin become crisp and golden and helps to keep the chicken breast moist. If you are opposed to mayonnaise however, you can just use some olive oil. Enjoy!



1 3-4 pound chicken
1 orange, cut into 4
1 head garlic, keep it whole just slice the top off to expose the cloves
3 stalks rosemary
1/2 medium onion
1 1/2 Tbl mayonnaise
salt, pepper, granulated garlic powder and paprika
1/2 cup orange juice


Preheat the oven to 375. Place the chicken in the pan breast side up and stuff the cavity of the chicken with the orange wedges, the head of garlic, 1 stalk of rosemary and the onion. If all the orange doesn't fit in you can just keep it in the pan. Spread the mayonnaise all over the chicken and season the whole chicken with salt, pepper, granulated garlic and paprika. Pour the orange juice in the pan and add the other stalks of rosemary to the pan as well. Roast covered for an hour and a half. Uncover and roast for another 45 minutes, basting with the pan juice occasionally until golden.