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With an easy, healthy and delicious make-ahead marinade, this OJ Marinated Rosemary Roast Chicken is perfect for a fuss-free dinner any night of the week. Enjoy it with an equally flavourful Crunchy Fennel Slaw and some steamed rice or roasted sweet potato if you want to keep things Paleo and Whole30.
What You Need for the OJ Marinated Rosemary Roast Chicken
- Chicken: You can make this recipe with a whole chicken, as shown here, or individual pieces like chicken thighs, drumsticks, breasts or even chicken wings. When using a whole bird, I like to spatchcock it so that it cooks quicker and more evenly. It also helps expose more of the surface area, resulting in more crispy skin.
Whatever part of the chicken you choose, I recommend using something that is bone-in and skin-on for maximum flavor and texture. - 100% OJ: The real secret here is to use Florida Orange Juice in the marinade as 100% OJ is naturally sweet with no added sugar. The citrus adds an amazing flavor to the chicken, helps keep it tender and juicy, and the natural sugar caramelizes as it cooks. We always keep a big pitcher of Florida Orange Juice in our fridge and enjoy a glass daily as a way to stay hydrated and help support our immune systems. Just one 8-ounce glass of Florida Orange Juice provides 100% of the recommended Daily Value of vitamin C and is a good source potassium, folate and thiamin, as well as vitamin D (in fortified juices).
For information on Florida OJ and where to purchase some, please visit the Florida Orange Juice website. - Fresh Rosemary: Using fresh rosemary imparts an incredible aroma and flavour into the chicken. If you can’t find any fresh rosemary, you can substitute dried but use only half of the amount called for. You can also experiment with other fresh, woodsy herbs like oregano, thyme, sage or any combination of the four.
- Ground Coriander: For an earthy element, add a spoonful of ground coriander to the marinade.
- Garlic: As always, measure this ingredient with your heart and don’t let anyone tell you there’s such a thing as too much.
- Honey: Adding a couple spoonfuls of honey to the marinade will help develop an even more golden brown crust on the chicken. It’s optional though, so you can omit it if you are doing a round of Whole30 or want to keep the recipe low in sugar.
- Dijon Mustard: Not only will Dijon mustard add some tangy flavor to the marinade, but the vinegars will help tenderize the proteins in the meat.
- Crushed Red Chile Flakes: Feel free to add as much or as little chile flakes as your heart desires. Even if you put a small amount, it should be enough to balance some of the sweetness from the Florida OJ and honey.
Skip the Bagged Stuff and Make a Crunchy Fennel Slaw
There are few things that go together better than a beautifully roast chicken and crunchy coleslaw. If you’re looking to switch things up from the classic cabbage version, give this fennel slaw a try. It’s packed with crisp, fresh fennel, carrots, celery, onion and fresh dill.
Toss the crunchy fennel slaw in your favorite store-bought dressing or make a quick-and-easy one from scratch with just a few readily available ingredients. Just like the marinade for the OJ Rosemary Roast Chicken, the slaw can be prepared ahead of time.
On the Grill or In the Oven?
When it comes to roasting the chicken, you can fire up the grill or preheat the oven. Both methods will work just fine and result in a juicy and delicious bird.
- On the Grill: If you know me, you know that I use my Traeger grill to cook just about everything, including this OJ Marinated Rosemary Roast Chicken. The grill adds an incredible wood-fired flavour and makes for very easy clean up!
If you’re using a conventional gas or charcoal grill, you’ll want to set up a two-zone fire and cook the chicken skin-side up over indirect heat almost the entire way through. Once the thickest part of the breast reaches around 150F, you can flip the chicken over and develop some char on the skin. - In the Oven: The oven temperature and cooking time for the chicken will probably stay the same if you’re using an oven. The only difference is that you will need to cook the chicken in a roasting tray, as opposed to directly on the grates in the grill. I also recommend lining the tray with a wire rack so that hot air can flow underneath the chicken as it roasts, allowing for more even cooking and a crispier finished product.
Once the thickest part of the chicken breast reaches around 150F, switch the oven setting to broil so that you can develop some extra char on the skin.
More Recipes Featuring Florida Orange Juice
- Pan-Roasted Orange Mustard Turkey Breast with Sweet Potatoes and Green Beans
- Slow Cooker Mojo Pork with Fried Plantains – Whole30, Paleo
- Bistec de Pollo a la Plancha – Whole30, Paleo
- Grilled Mojo Chicken – Whole30, Paleo
- Easy Shrimp Ceviche with Plantain Chips & Fresh Florida Citrus
- Pan-Seared Salmon with Florida Grapefruit and Avocado Salsa
This recipe was created in partnership with Florida Department of Citrus. All opinions expressed here are the author’s alone.
OJ Marinated Rosemary Roast Chicken with Crunchy Fennel Slaw
Prepare ahead and enjoy this easy, healthy and delicious OJ Marinated Rosemary Roast Chicken with Crunchy Fennel Slaw any night of the week.
Ingredients
For the Crunchy Fennel Slaw:
- 1 large fennel bulb, tops trimmed and discarded, thinly sliced
- 2 stalks celery, thinly sliced on an angle
- 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 carrot, julienned
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
- 1/3 cup avocado oil mayonnaise
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- 1.5 tablespoons whole grain mustard
- 1.5 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey, optional (omit for Whole30)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper
For the OJ Marinated Rosemary Roast Chicken:
- 1 cup Florida Orange Juice
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, finely chopped, plus 4 sprigs left whole for basting the chicken
- 2 tablespoons honey, optional (omit for Whole30)
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red chili flakes, more or less as desired
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper
- 2.5 to 3- pound whole chicken
Instructions
For the Crunchy Fennel Slaw:
- In a bowl, combine all of the ingredients and toss well to incorporate. Let the slaw sit for 5 minutes before tasting and adjusting with salt, pepper or vinegar as desired. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Can be made up to 6 hours in advance.
For the OJ Marinated Rosemary Roast Chicken:
- In a bowl, combine the orange juice, olive oil, garlic, rosemary, honey, mustard, coriander, chili flakes, salt and pepper and stir to incorporate. Pat the chicken dry with paper towel and place it in a bowl or zip-top bag. Pour ¾ of the marinade overtop, reserving 1/4 for basting, toss the chicken to coat, cover and refrigerate 4 hours to overnight.
- Preheat your grill or oven to 450F. Using butcher’s twine, tie the rosemary sprigs to the bottom of a wooden spoon to create a basting brush.
- If using a grill, place the chicken skin side-up over indirect heat. Cook, basting with the reserved marinade every 15 to 20 minutes, until the thickest part of the breast registers between 150F and 155F, around 45 minutes. If using an oven, place the chicken on a roasting tray lined with a wire rack and cook, basting with the reserved marinade every 15 to 20 minutes, until the thickest part of the breast registers 155F, around 45 minutes.
- If using a grill, carefully flip the chicken over and cook the skin side until it is lightly charred and the thickest part of the breast registers 160F, 5 to 10 more minutes. If using an oven, switch the setting to broil and cook until the skin is lightly charred and the thickest part of the breast registers 160F, 5 to 10 more minutes.
- Transfer the chicken to a cutting board, baste once more with the reserved marinade and let it rest at least 10 minutes before carving. Serve the chicken with the Crunchy Fennel Slaw.
Video
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About the Author
Hi, i’m Ronny! In 2013, after a lifetime of struggling with my weight and body issues, I rehabilitated my relationship with food, lost over 40 pounds and completely changed my life.
It delicious ? definitely ?
Made this with chicken legs for my daughters 2nd birthday. It was a huge hit. The marinade is simple to put together and made with everyday ingredients 10 out of 10!