Roasted chicken is such a staple for many people that I wanted to provide a zippy recipe that would avoid the all-too-frequent pitfall of bland, dry results. Here, I’ve replaced the common rosemary-thyme rub with ginger, orange zest, and cinnamon, which are also appetite stimulants. Rubbing the spices under the skin, filling the cavity with more aromatics and orange juice, and then roasting the whole shebang makes for one moist, tasty bird! Drizzle with Moroccan Pesto (page 186) or add a dollop of Apricot Pear Chutney (page 175).

　　

Ingredients

serves 6

　　1 4 1/2- to 5-pound organic chicken

　　1 teaspoon paprika

　　1/4 teaspoon ground coriander

　　1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

　　1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt

　　1 orange, zested and juiced, rind reserved

　　1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger, plus 1 finger-length piece of unpeeled fresh ginger, halved lengthwise

　　3 cloves garlic

　　2 cinnamon sticks

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

　　

Step 2

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Stir the paprika, coriander, and cinnamon together, then divide the mixture in half and stir 1 teaspoon of the salt into half. Rub the salted spice mixture all over the outside of the chicken. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt inside the chicken.

　　

Step 3

With your palm facing downward, use your first three fingers to gently lift the skin on both sides of the breast to loosen it from the meat. Rub the remaining spice mixture, the orange zest, and grated ginger under the skin of each breast, massaging them lightly into the meat. Place the garlic, cinnamon sticks, ginger pieces, and orange rind inside the cavity along with half of the orange juice.

　　

Step 4

Place the chicken on a roasting rack in a glass or ceramic baking dish, breast side up. Roast until a meat thermometer reads 160°F when inserted in the thigh and the juice from the meat runs clear, about 1 hour.

　　

Step 5

Let the chicken rest for at least 10 minutes before carving. Just before serving, pour the remaining orange juice over the chicken.

　　

variation

Step 6

Here are a few other spice blends for a tasty bird:

　　

Step 7

In place of the paprika, coriander, and cinnamon, use 1 teaspoon cumin, 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander, and 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano.

　　

Step 8

Replace the paprika with anise seeds.

　　

Step 9

Replace the oranges with lemons, and in place of the paprika, coriander, and cinnamon, use 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, 1/4 teaspoon rosemary, and 1/4 teaspoon sage.

　　

rebecca’s notes

Step 10

Leftovers, anyone? Using leftover roasted chicken will save time and add flavor to any recipe calling for roasted or shredded chicken, such as Curried Chicken Salad (page 104), Cozy Comfy Chicken and Rice (page 106), Lemony Greek Chicken Soup (page 60), and Thai It Up Chicken Soup (page 62), or as an addition to Hungarian Roasted Root Vegetable Potpie (page 95).

　　

Step 11

Use disposable kitchen gloves to handle the bird more easily and keep things sanitary.

　　

storage

Step 12

Store in a covered container in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.

　　

nutrition information

Step 13

(per serving)

　　

Step 14

Calories: 215

　　

Step 15

Total Fat: 5.1g (1.3g saturated, 1.5g monounsaturated)

　　

Step 16

Carbohydrates: 4g

　　

Step 17

Protein: 35g

　　

Step 18

Fiber: 1g

　　

Step 19

Sodium: 715mg

　　Excerpted from The Cancer Fighting Kitchen, copyright 2017 by Rebecca Katz and Met Edelson. Published with permission by Ten Speed Press.