Cardamom Honey Roasted Chicken

The original recipe is courtesy of BeesOnline located just outside of Auckland. The original was good but this is a little more amplified in flavor. The results are an amazing combination of sweet and spiciness that permeates the kitchen during roasting and your palette as you enjoy your meal. Preparation includes 30 minutes to marinate the chicken, actual working time is really quite short and easy.

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 8-10

Ingredients

• 6  chicken breasts or 1  roasting chicken, cut into parts
• 1 1⁄2-2  tablespoons olive oil
• 1  lemon, thinly sliced
•  salt and pepper

• Marinade

• 6  tablespoons honey
• 3  tablespoons sherry wine
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons cardamom seeds
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons peppercorns

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 390°F Warm the honey so that it is liquid, stir in the sherry, cardamom and peppercorns. (If you are grinding the spices with a mortar and pestle, be sure to remove the seeds from their pods prior to grinding.) Place marinade and chicken in a large resealable bag, coat chicken with marinade. Close bag and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes (no longer than that).
2. Heat olive oil in a large frying pan at medium high heat. Sear the chicken, skin side down, until golden. (If you plan to discard the skin, as I do, you can omit this step. Just add an additional 5-6 minutes to the baking time.).
3. Place lemon slices in a roasting pan. Lay the chicken pieces on top. Lightly brush with the marinade. Season with salt and pepper. Discard the remaining marinade. (Warning: Do not be tempted to pour the marinade in the baking pan, it will be a mess.).
4. Place in the oven and bake until done, approximately 25 minutes for breasts.
5. (According to the original recipe it is 20 minutes for thighs, wings, and drumsticks, but I found the time for breasts to short so please check for doneness.) Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
6. Pour out drippings from the pan into a gravy boat for gravy.