A family recipe that has always had us coming back for second servings. This recipe has the non-traditional ingredient of Saffron that really lifts up the flavours whilst giving it nice golden finish.

Ingredients

3½-4 lbs whole chicken without giblets
1 small handful of fresh rosemary sprigs
1 small handful of fresh thyme sprigs
Peel from one orange, sliced
2-3 garlic cloves
2 large onions, peeled and sliced
Salt and pepper
¼ cup olive oil
4 tbsp honey, divided into 2
½ cup white wine (optional)
¼ cup chicken broth
½ tsp of Saffron
Fresh rosemary or thyme sprigs for garnish (optional)

Instructions:

STEP 1:
Preheat oven to 205-degree Celsius or 400-degree Fahrenheit.

 STEP 2:
While the oven preheats, in a medium bowl, whisk together ¼ cup of olive oil, 2 tbsp of honey, juice from 1 whole orange and a pinch of Saffron ½ tsp of Saffron into the basting that’ll give it a golden hue.

 STEP 3:
Now prepare your chicken, herbs, garlic and onion slices.

 STEP 4:
Season and baste the cavity of the chicken with Salt, pepper and the basting we’ve prepared earlier. Stuff the cavity with some fresh rosemary, thyme, a 1-2 lemon peels, garlic cloves and some slide onions.

 STEP 5:
Season the salt and pepper around the skin of the chicken. Ensure an even coating. Don’t overdo it with the salt otherwise your chicken will just come out extremely salty.

 STEP 6:
The bottom of the tray with sliced onions and bell peppers. You can also include any roasting vegetables that you like with this recipe.

 STEP 7:
Place the chicken breast side up so that you’ll get a nice crispy golden skin while the juices from the cavity will leak its way to the bottom of the pan giving your vegetables an extra infusion of flavour.

 STEP 8:
Baste the chicken with the basting prepared earlier all around then cover the pan with foil.

 STEP 9:
Place the chicken in the preheated oven for 45 minutes to cook.

 STEP 10:
After 45 minutes, take the pan out and remove the foil. Add another heavy layer of the basting around the chicken and put it back in the oven for another 25 minutes.

 STEP 11:
Keep an eye on the chicken to make sure the skin doesn’t burn. It should come out golden brown from the combination of caramelized honey and Saffron.

 STEP 12:
Take the chicken out of the pan and let it rest of a carving board. Cover it with the removed foil to retain the heat.

 STEP 13:
Drain the sauce from the bottom of the pan into a saucepan. You may skim out the fats which will float to the top, but I love how the fats enhance flavours so I always leave it as is.

 STEP 14:
On medium heat, start heating the saucepan. Add ½ cup of white wine (optional), ¼ cup of chicken broth and 2 tbsp of honey to the pan. My mum usually adds a few strands of Saffron for a golden finish. Heat the sauce and stir constantly until it thickens. This should take 2-5 minutes. Season with a lil salt and pepper to taste.

 STEP 15:
Carve up your chicken and drizzle some Golden honey sauce over the chicken. Serve with cous cous salad or roasted vegetables on the side.

For details about our Saffron recipes. Please visit Saffron Store.

Original article: https://saffronstore.com.au/blog/kitchen/honey-roasted-chicken-with-saffron/