Roast Chicken and Golden Beets with Chunky Orange Vinaigrette
Serves 4
Ingredients
Chicken
- 2 tsp black peppercorns
- 2 tsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 4 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp ground chili*
- Zest of one large cara cara orange or navel
- 4 lb. whole chicken patted COMPLETELY dry
- 3 Tbsp chicken broth or water
- Olive oil
Beets
- 1 ½ -2 lb. small golden beets scrubbed clean and halved
- 4 large shallots halved
- Olive oil
- Kosher salt and pepper taste
- 4-5 sprigs of fresh thyme
Chunky Orange Vinaigrette
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 2 Tbsp thinly sliced chives
- 1 Tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 Tbsp honey
- 4 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 large cara cara orange segmented and chopped (can use the zested one from above!)
- Kosher salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 F.
- Add black pepper, coriander, and fennel to a mortar and pestle or spice grinder and grind to a coarse powder. Add to a small bowl along with the 4 tsp salt, smoked paprika, chili, and orange zest. Mix to combine.
- Season chicken all over with the spice mix. Use all the mix, and really press it into the chicken. It's important that the chicken is very dry so that the spices stick. Season the cavity with the spices as well. Tie the chicken legs together with butcher twine and tuck the wings under the breast. Set aside. You can also do this step a day ahead and leave it uncovered in the fridge overnight and it will be even better!
- Add beets and shallots to a large cast iron pan or baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil to coat and season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss to combine.
- Make sure all the beets are cut side down in the pan. Toss in the thyme sprigs.
- Place chicken on top of the beets. Drizzle the chicken liberally all over with olive oil. Pour the chicken broth around the chicken over the beets.
- Bake the chicken for 1 hour. Increase the oven temperature to 425 F and continue to cook until the chicken is golden and the internal temperature of the breast reaches 160 F (it will carry over), and the dark meat is at least 180 F. This should take about 45-60 minutes. Check the chicken now and then during the roasting process. If the skin is getting too brown for your liking, reduce the oven temp to 400 F for the remainder of the cooking. **
- Let the chicken rest for at least 15 minutes.
- While the chicken rests, whisk together parsley, chives, tarragon, lemon juice, lemon zest, honey and olive oil. Stir in chopped oranges and season with salt and pepper.
- Remove the thyme sprigs and serve chicken/vegetables with the tarragon orange vinaigrette on the side. The pan juices are also delish so spoon that over everything too! This dish is great as a stand-alone meal, or served with a leafy salad, crusty sourdough toast, or steamed white rice.
Video
Notes
* I used the guntur sannam chili from Diaspora Co. for this, but you can also sub with cayenne
**I like the chicken skin deeply brown but just keep an eye on it and reduce the oven temperature if desired.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Hi! I’m thinking of trying this out, but with chicken quarters or thighs instead of a whole chicken. How would you adjust cooking time and temps for that? Assuming the beets would need to go in before the thighs in that case, and maybe at a lower temp? Thanks!
We cook often, and this is one of the best meals we’ve ever made. Definitely dry brine the chicken if you have time. Served with NYTs no knead bread. Hailee, you killed it yet again!
I’m so happy!