Name: Herbs de Provence Orange Roasted Chicken
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 175 min
Ingredients: ½ cup loosely packed orange zest (from about 5 Navel oranges), (divided); 1 cup fresh orange juice (from about 5 Navel oranges); 1 tablespoon garlic, (minced); 2 tablespoons mixed herbs (rosemary, sage, thyme, lavender, oregano), (finely chopped -- plus a few sprigs for garnish); ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 approximately 3½ pound whole cut up chicken, (bone-in, skin-on); ¼ cup unsalted butter, (softened); ½ teaspoon paprika; ⅛ teaspoon salt; 1 Navel orange, (sliced for garnish); salt and freshly ground black pepper

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Herbs de Provence Orange Roasted Chicken is always a crowd pleaser! The combination of the herbs with the tangy citrus, seeping into the succulent chicken, is out of this world!

When you make this Orange Roasted Chicken, the house will be filled with the aromatic Herbs de Provence and essence of orange.

This easy chicken recipe is so impressive. Nobody would expect it only has a few ingredients and can mostly be made ahead of time.

Everyone will be begging for seconds!

What are the herbs in Herbs de Provence?

Herbs de Provence is a mixture of dried herbs that are typically from the Provence region of France.
Herbs de Provence is made up of some, all, or various combinations of the following herbs: basil, lavender, marjoram, oregano, rosemary, sage, savory, tarragon and thyme.

How to Make Herbs de Provence Orange Roasted Chicken

– Make the marinade with orange juice, orange zest, garlic and fresh Herbs de Provence, and marinate in the refrigerator for three hours.

– Remove the chicken from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before you’re ready to roast. Add it to a baking dish with the marinade.

– Make the basting butter with orange zest, paprika, butter, salt and pepper. Apply this beneath and on top of the chicken skin. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

– Roast in a preheated 375°F oven just until it’s cooked through and the skin is golden, about 40 minutes.

– Strain the marinade into a small pot and bring to a boil. Then turn the heat down and simmer for about 10 minutes. Swirl in a tablespoon of butter and season with salt and pepper. Pour this over the chicken and serve.

(More detailed instructions are below.)

Can you make it ahead?

I would not suggest roasting the chicken ahead of time. It’s best as close to the time it comes out of the oven as possible.

Recipe Tips and Substitutions

This recipe calls for skin-on, bone-in chicken pieces. I find this results in the juiciest and most succulent chicken. You can either remove the chicken from the bones, or leave them in to serve. Likewise, you can remove the skin to serve if you want to.
You can also make Orange Roasted Chicken with boneless, skinless chicken breasts if your prefer, noting that the baking time will be significantly less — about half.
It may seem like the amount of zest called for is a lot — and it is! It works and the orange flavor is perfect.You can use less if you’d like, but I think you’ll want the full amount.
I wouldn’t marinate this for longer than three hours, as long marinating times with citrus can actually dry out the chicken.
While Herbs de Provence is typically a dried herb mix, I used fresh herbs in this recipe. If you use dry, use about half of the amount.
If the chicken is cooked through, but the skin hasn’t browned yet, place the baking pan under the broiler for about 30 seconds, keeping a close eye on it, as it can go from perfect to too dark in a matter of seconds. Conversely, if you notice the skin becoming too dark before the chicken is cooked, cover it loosely with foil.
You can use any oranges you’d like — I prefer Navel because they’re consistently super juicy and seedless.

Herbs de Provence Orange Roasted Chicken is an incredibly delicious comfort food that’s perfect for casual or elegant entertaining.

What is exactly is a comfort food? Read this article to find out!

I love serving this dish with rice and Little Gem Salad.

Enjoy!

More comforting, delicious chicken recipes:

Herbs de Provence Orange Roasted Chicken

Valentina K. Wein

Herbs de Provence Orange Roasted Chicken recipe is always a crowd pleaser. The combination of the herbs with the tangy citrus, seeping into the succulent chicken, is out of this world.

5 from 5 votes

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 45 mins

Marinating Time 2 hrs

Total Time 2 hrs 55 mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine French

Servings to 6

Calories 509 kcal

Ingredients

½ cup loosely packed orange zest (from about 5 Navel oranges), divided
1 cup fresh orange juice (from about 5 Navel oranges)
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
2 tablespoons mixed herbs (rosemary, sage, thyme, lavender, oregano), finely chopped -- plus a few sprigs for garnish
¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
1 approximately 3½ pound whole cut up chicken, bone-in, skin-on
¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
½ teaspoon paprika
⅛ teaspoon salt
1 Navel orange, sliced for garnish
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Make the marinade and marinate the chicken. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine half of the orange zest with the orange juice, garlic, herbs, and olive oil. (Set aside the remaining zest in the refrigerator for later.) Stir to combine, and pour into a very large zip-lock bag. Add the chicken pieces and move them around to ensure they're all coated with the marinade. Seal the bag, removing as much air as possible from it. Place this bag into a bowl or second bag (in case it leaks), and then into the refrigerator to marinate for about 3 hours.
Preheat the oven and make the basting butter. About 30 minutes before you're ready to roast, remove the chicken from the refrigerator and preheat the oven to 375°F. In a tiny bowl, combine the ¼ cup of the softened butter with the paprika, remaining orange zest, salt and a few turns of black pepper.
Add the butter mixture and roast. Add the chicken and marinade to a baking dish that's approximately 9 X 13 X 2 inches. Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper and then use your hands to rub the butter mixture under the skin of each piece and on top.
Roast. Roast the chicken just until it's cooked through, about 40 to 45 minutes. Use a spoon to baste the chicken about halfway through the cooking time, and again when you remove it from the oven. The internal temperature of the thickest part of the breast should be 155°F. (It will cook another 5° or so out of the oven.) Cut into a piece if you're not sure if it's done -- the meat should be tender, juicy, and the skin should be browned and crispy. If the skin isn't golden, place the pan under the broiler for about 30 seconds, watching it closely so it doesn't get too dark.
Rest the chicken and make the sauce. Use kitchen tongs to remove the chicken pieces from the pan and place them on a large plate to rest. Cover lightly with foil. During this time, pour the now cooked marinade through a fine mesh strainer and into a small pot. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes. Skim off any excess grease, and then add the remaining tablespoon of butter and season to taste with salt and pepper. (Here's How to Season to Taste.) Pour this over the chicken. Garnish with slices of orange, herb sprigs and serve.

Notes

Calorie count is only an estimate.

Keywords chicken for family dinner, citrus recipes, chicken for dinner parties

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