Ina Paarman’s Honey Roast Chicken with Orange and Butternut

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Oranges come into harvest in winter, just in time to help us ward off nasty colds and flu with their hefty dose of vitamin C. The first to bear fruit are the ‘Navel’ varieties, between May and July, followed by ‘Valencia’ from June to September. Oranges stop ripening after they’re picked, so only take them off the tree once they have turned a deep shade of orange. The easiest way to remove them is to twist them gently off the branch. Besides being delicious sweet snacks and an exciting component of rich deserts, oranges can also be used to add zing to savoury dishes, as this recipe from Ina Paarman amply demonstrates!

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Ina Paarman served this Honey Roast Chicken with Orange and Butternut at a dinner party and received rave reviews!

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You will need:

2 oranges
1 large fresh chicken
Ina Paarman’s Chicken Spice
2 large onions, cut into 8 wedges 4 cups
1 medium-sized butternut, unpeeled and cubed 3cm x 3cm
6 cloves garlic, cut in half lengthways
1 teaspoon (5ml) Ina Paarman’s Vegetable Spice
1 x 200g Ina Paarman’s Honey & Mustard Coat & Cook Sauce
1 x 25g Ina Paarman’s Liquid Chicken Stock

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Method:

Adjust an oven rack to one slot below the middle position. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Zest the oranges, cut them in half and squeeze out the juice – set aside the juice and shells. Cut two half-shells into quarters and leave the other two halves. Season the chicken inside and out with Chicken Spice. Push the orange shell quarters into the cavity of the chicken and tie up the legs and wings. Build a platform with the remaining two orange half-shells in a roasting pan and position the chicken on top of them. Scatter the onion wedges, butternut and garlic around the chicken. Season the vegetables with Vegetable Spice. Mix the Honey & Mustard Sauce with the undiluted Liquid Chicken Stock, orange juice and zest. Spoon this over and around the chicken. Roast the chicken uncovered for 45minutes, add ½ cup of hot water and then cover the chicken with wet baking paper. Return it to the oven and roast for a further 30-45 minutes. Leave it to rest for 10-15 minutes before carving. Serve with Ina’s Ready-to-Serve Roast Chicken Gravy, steamed fine green beans and fluffy mashed potatoes.

Serves: 5