Spicy and sweet: Citrus roast chicken with raspberry chipotle glaze

July 9, 8:06 AMBillings Cooking ExaminerMarcy Gaston

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Photo by Marcy Gaston

Making a delicious and juicy roast chicken is a basic skill most home cooks should master. Roast chicken is one of those meals that says "home cooking."

Even though a simple roast chicken is a welcome sight on the dinner table, this recipe dresses it up a bit. Placing citrus in the cavity of the bird adds a lovely aroma and flavor to the meat. The butter mixture placed under the skin enhances the flavors and makes the meat moist.

Topping it off is a sweet and spicy glaze. Serve the leftover glaze with the chicken.

Citrus Roast Chicken with Raspberry Chipotle Sauce

For the chicken:

• 1 4-6 pound Roasting chicken
• 1 stick butter, softened
• Zest of 1 lime
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon each of ground ancho powder, cayenne pepper, and paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin and salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Raspberry Chipotle glaze - recipe follows

Mix together the butter, zests of lime and lemon, garlic cloves, and salt/pepper (to taste). Set aside. Reserve the lemon and lime and cut each into quarters. In a small bowl, mix together the ancho, cayenne, paprika, cumin and salt. Set aside.

Rinse and pat dry a whole roasting chicken. Place chicken in a roasting pan, breast side up.

Divide butter mixture in half. Place each half of the butter between the skin and breast meat and push down so the butter is evenly layered over the flesh. Fill the cavity (free of all insides, please) with the quartered lemon and limes. Rub the outside of the chicken with olive oil and the spices. Allow the chicken to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Bake until breast meat registers 165º on an instant-read thermometer, approximately 1 1/2 - 2 hours. Halfway through baking, brush a bit of the raspberry glaze on the skin of the bird.

After the chicken is done, allow it to sit for 15 minutes or so before serving. Serve any remaining glaze with the chicken. 

Raspberry Chipotle Glaze (adapted from Emeril Lagasse)

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1/2 red onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped
• 1 bag of frozen raspberries (10 ounces)
• 1/2 cup raspberry vinegar
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt

In a saucepan, heat olive oil and saute the onion until soft. Add the garlic and chipotles. Saute for a couple minutes. Add the raspberries and cook until they begin to soften (thaw, basically). Pour in vinegar, sugar, and salt. Over medium heat (monitor this; you may need to lower it), reduce the sauce by half; 15 - 20 minutes or so. Strain sauce; discard the solids.

This can be used as both a sauce and a glaze. Great with chicken, turkey, and pork tenderloin.