Roasted Orange Chicken

By Genevieve Ko

Updated April 16, 2024

Roasted Orange Chicken
Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Prop Stylist: Caroline Dorn.
Total Time
1 hour 15 minutes
Rating
4(2,028)
Comments
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Whole tangerines, peel and all, roast alongside chicken in a sweetened soy sauce that thickens into a glaze and lacquers the bird. The fruit wedges soften in the syrupy sauce while infusing it with their floral bittersweetness. Reminiscent of savory Cantonese soy sauce chicken and tangy American Chinese orange chicken, this dish also combines the warmth of ginger with the bit of heat from ground hot chiles. You can eat the tangerine wedges along with the chicken, which is delicious with its sauce over steamed rice or boiled noodles. Serve with stir-fried brussels sprouts or bok choy.

Featured in: In This Roasted Orange Chicken, Every Part of the Fruit Shines

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 5small tangerines or clementines
  • ½packed cup dark brown sugar
  • ¼cup soy sauce
  • 1½teaspoons rice vinegar or distilled white vinegar
  • 1teaspoon ground cayenne or other hot red ground chile
  • 1(4-pound) whole chicken
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 8slices peeled fresh ginger
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

828 calories; 47 grams fat; 13 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 19 grams monounsaturated fat; 10 grams polyunsaturated fat; 41 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 35 grams sugars; 60 grams protein; 1392 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat the oven to 400 degrees.

  2. Step 2

    Squeeze ¼ cup juice from 2 to 3 tangerines into a small bowl; reserve the spent peels. Cut the remaining tangerines into wedges with their peels intact, and set aside. Add the brown sugar, soy sauce, vinegar and cayenne to the tangerine juice and whisk until the sugar dissolves.

  3. Step 3

    Generously season the chicken inside and out with salt and pepper. Tuck the wingtips behind the body. Stuff the tangerine peels and 6 ginger slices into the cavity, then tie the legs together using kitchen twine. Place in a large ovenproof skillet, and scatter the tangerine wedges and remaining 2 slices ginger around the chicken.

  4. Step 4

    Slowly pour the juice mixture all over the chicken, then slide the skillet into the oven. Roast for 30 minutes.

  5. Step 5

    Using a large spoon or baster, quickly and carefully coat the chicken with the pan sauce. Continue roasting, basting every 10 minutes, until the chicken is browned and cooked through, 20 to 30 minutes longer. An instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the breast should register 155 degrees and, in the leg, 170 degrees. The chicken will continue to cook while it rests.

  6. Step 6

    Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let rest for about 5 minutes. If the pan sauce isn’t already syrupy, bring it to a boil over medium-high heat on the stovetop. Be sure to wear oven mitts or use a kitchen towel to hold the skillet (the handle is hot). Cook, stirring occasionally, until the bubbles grow larger and paler brown, and the sauce is the consistency of syrup, about 5 minutes. Discard the ginger.

  7. Step 7

    Serve the chicken whole or carved with the glaze poured all over the meat. Arrange the tangerine wedges from the pan around the bird. You can eat them, if you’d like.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
2,028 user ratings
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Comments

Woodgal

We just finished having this for dinner and I made it as written except for the whole chicken. I used skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs and it was delicious. I used Clementines for the fruit. It was easy to baste the chicken as all I did was flip it over in the sauce as it cooked. I also made the stir-fried brussel sprouts to go with it. Both were really good and easy to make. This will absolutely be in the rotation from now on.

Prakash Nadkarni

Navel oranges won't sub for tangerines: use clementines/mandarins instead. You need an orange variety with thin skin (peelable easily with fingers, without cutting with knife first) and little bitter white pith. (Thin-skinned varieties are ideal for homemade marmalade.) If you use navels, you'll have to use only the zest instead of the entire skin, or the dish will be quite bitter. For the recipe, I'd use minced ginger instead: it complements orange perfectly and is too good to discard.

Fran

Made this with chicken thighs and clementines. Cooked at 400 for 40 minutes and basted with sauce every 10. It was amazing. Unfortunately, everyone else thought so too and I had no leftovers! Will make double next time.

Paul

Made this twice using spatchcocked chickens - came out perfect both time - if you like sweet and spicy and savory this one is a winner! Add a little extra cayenne to kick the heat up a notch

DD

I’m used to - as a rule - presalting chicken by 2-3 days. I’ll do that again here but - why isn’t it included? Or marinating at least with some of these ingredients in advance.

Pia DG

The sauce is so delicious but I find the recipe does not make nearly enough - I’d recommend at least doubling the recipe. And even marinading the chicken in some of the sauce too!

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