Two kinds of citrus and a little Aleppo pepper give this moist, juicy roast chicken dinner its star power. But rainbow carrots, potatoes, and leeks browned in the pan make it memorable as well. (Don’t have one? You can check the meat’s temperature using an instant-read.) You’ll need a roasting pan to make the recipe, and depending on the pan’s size, you may wind up with enough pan juices to serve from a bowl, or just have a drizzle to pour on top of everything. Look for coarsely ground Aleppo pepper (a fruity, slightly smoky, mildly spicy chili from the Middle East) in your grocery store’s spice aisle or online, or substitute dried guajillo or California chilies and grind them in a clean coffee grinder.
Satisfy your sweet tooth with this easy-to-make recipe for Chili and Citrus Rubbed Chicken with Roasted Vegetables.
1. Info for Chili and Citrus Rubbed Chicken with Roasted Vegetables
- Cook Time: 2 Hr 0 Min
- Total Time: 2 Hr 0 Min
- Servings: 6
- Calories: 473.2 kcal
2. Ingredients for Chili and Citrus Rubbed Chicken with Roasted Vegetables
- lemon
- aleppo chili pepper
- orange zest
- brown sugar
- salt
- black pepper
- garlic cloves
- chicken
- extra-virgin olive oil
- leeks
- rainbow carrots
- potatoes
- freshly chopped parsley
3. Directions:
- 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 the 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.