Roast Chicken With Orange, Lemon & Ginger

Ginger arrived in Italy with Arabic traders or North African Jewish immigrants, so it's likely that this is a Sicilian or Livornese recipe. From "Cucina Ebraica" by Joyce Goldstein.

• Ready In: 1 hr 20 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1  lemon
• 1 (5 lb)  roasting chickens
• 1  lemon, zest of, grated (then cut lemon into quarters)
• 1  orange, zest of, grated (then cut orange into quarters)
• 3  tablespoons  peeled and grated  fresh gingerroot
•  salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 5  tablespoons olive oil
• 4  tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1⁄2 cup  fresh orange juice
• 3  tablespoons honey
•  orange section (to garnish)

Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 400°F
2. Cut the lemon into quarters.
3. Rub the outside of the chicken with one of the lemon quarters then discard.
4. In a small bowl, stir together the lemon and orange zests and 1 tablespoon of the grated ginger.
5. Rub this mixture evenly in the cavity and put the lemon and orange quarters inside the bird.
6. Place the chicken on a rack in a roasting pan.
7. Sprinkle it with salt and pepper.
8. In the now-empty small bowl, combine the melted olive oil, lemon and orange juices, honey, and the remaining 2 tablespoons ginger and mix well.
9. Place the chicken in the oven on its side and roast about ten minutes; turn on its other side and roast ten minutes more.
10. Turn oven down to 350°F and turn chicken so it is roasting breast side up and roast till done--about another 40 minutesuntil the juices run clear when the thigh is pierced with a knife, about 1 hour.
11. Baste with the citrus juice mixture at least 4 times during cooking.
12. Transfer to a serving platter and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
13. Variation: Use 4 tablespoons pomegranate juice in place of the lemon juice.