Roast Chicken with Orange Mustard Glaze

This is our all time favorite roast chicken. It is easy and a complete meal on its own as I usually added some vegetables to the roast. I will usually roast a bird once every 2 weeks and it can last us for a few meals. With the leftovers I make it into sandwiches, pie and the bones for stock. The mix of orange juice, honey, chili powder and mustard to the glaze added a wonderful flavor to the chicken.

Ingredients:

1 roasting chicken, around 3.5 – 4 pounds
2 cloves garlic – finely chopped
2 tsp paprika
3 tbsp butter – room temperature
3 sprigs thyme 1 small orange – cut into quarters
Salt and pepper to taste
Some vegetables of your choice – peppers, potatoes, carrots and onions

Glaze:

1.5 tbsp honey
3 tbsp orange juice
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1.5 tsp chili powder (optional)

1. Heat oven to 375°F and Rinse the chicken inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pin feathers and pat it dry with paper towel. Combined the salt, pepper and paprika. Mix well
2. Liberally sprinkle the chicken and cavity with the salt and pepper mixture. Using fingers to slide under the skin gently loosen skin over the chicken breasts and legs. Mix butter with garlic; spread butter evenly under the skin.
3. Put the thyme and cut orange in the cavity of the chicken. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken.
4. Add some cut vegetables to the bottom of the roasting pan. Drizzle it lightly with some olive oil, some salt and pepper and toss it well. Place the chicken on top of the vegetables.
5. In another bowl, combine the honey with mustard, chili powder, and orange juice. Set aside.
6. Roast the chicken 1 hour 15 min – about 20 minutes per pound, or until chicken registers about 165°F when an instant-read thermometer is inserted into the thickest part of the thigh. Brush the chicken with the honey mustard glaze mixture and continue roasting for 10 minutes longer, brushing a few more times with glaze.
7. Remove the chicken to a platter and cover with aluminum foil for about 20 minutes. Slice the chicken and serve it with the roasted vegetables. 8. Spoon off any fat from the pan juices/drippings before serving it with the chicken.