Roasted Chicken A'la Orange

I had this while on vacation in Key Largo, FL and had to have the recipe. It is a moist and flavorful chicken with a fabulous sauce that is good on just about everything. It is a real crowd pleaser and an instant hit at every table. Add roasted potatoes, some steamed veggies, salad and bread and you will have a wonderful dinner! The recipe calls for 1/4 cup butter, however, I use less and it always comes out perfect.

• Ready In: 1 hr 35 mins
• Yields: 1 Whole Chicken

Ingredients

• 1 (3 1/2lb)  roasting chickens
• 1  small sweet onion, sliced
• 1  bunch parsley, with long stems removed
• 1⁄4 cup butter, sliced
• 1  small orange, peeled and quartered
• 2  garlic cloves
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon pepper
• 1⁄4 cup white wine (optional)
• 1  cup  orange juice

Directions

1. Clean chicken and pat dry.
2. Sprinkle Salt and Pepper into the chicken cavity.
3. Thinly slice garlic lengthwise into long ovals.
4. Pierce skin of chicken with knife in 5-7 places and insert half of the garlic slices under the skin.
5. Stuff (in small batches to make even throughout cavity) parsley, onion, remaining garlic, orange slices and butter.
6. To close opening, make two slices in the chicken skin, one on either side of opening, and place the leg bone from the opposite side into the sliced skin on both sides.
7. Roast at 350°F for 80 minutes, or when meat thermometer reaches 180 degrees, or when juices run clear.
8. Pour pan juices into a sauce pan and add 3/4 cups orange juice (and optional wine) and whisk until sauce thickens (you can add the remaining 1/4 cup if you need to reheat the sauce).
9. Pour sauce over the chicken slices when served.