Grand Marnier Roasted Chicken

My friend Erika is a wonderful cook and I always enjoy talking with her about our favorite recipes. This is one she told me about and I love it. This recipe makes such a pretty roast chicken and it's delicious too. I served this recipe with the brussel sprouts (surprise surprise) and some yukon gold potatoes (recipe below).

I always make chicken stock & then chicken noodle soup the next day because there's a hint of sweetness to the soup from the glaze. It's pretty subtle but I like it. I use Tyler Florence's recipe for both. I use the chicken carcass instead of a whole chicken for the stock. For the soup I use less noodles and more garlic, herbs, and seasoning.


Grand Marnier Roasted Chicken

1 whole chicken
1 orange, quartered and seeded
3 large fresh rosemary sprigs
1 small yellow onion, quartered
kosher salt
freshly ground pepper
3 T. butter
3 T. whole-grain mustard (or Grey Poupon)
3 T. apricot preserves
3 T. honey
3 T. Grand Marnier (sometimes use Cointreau instead of Grand)

Bring the chicken to room temp.(or close to) before roasting, other wise it always seems to take WAY longer to cook.

Preheat oven to 400. Place the chicken, breast-side up, on a rack in a small roasting pan and squeeze the juice from the orange quarters over the chicken. Place the orange quarters inside the cavity along with the rosemary and onion. Season the chicken generously with salt and pepper. Pour 1 cup water into the bottom of the pan.

Roast chicken for 30 minutes. Rotate pan 180 degrees and reduce heat to 375. Continue to roast for 25 min. longer.

While chicken is roasting, in a small pan over med-high heat, melt the butter and then stir in the mustard, apricot preserves and honey. Cook, stirring constantly, until well blended 2-3 mins. Add the Grand Marnier, stir to blend, then remove from heat.

Remove chicken from the oven, pour off the juices from the pan, and brush the chicken with Grand Marnier glaze. Continue roasting the chicken, basting frequently, until the juices run clear, about 15 more mins.

Remove chicken from oven and let rest for 10-15 mins. before carving.

Yukon Gold Potatoes - This was my dinner back in college

Rub the outside of a few potatoes with butter and stab a few times with a fork. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes or until fork tender (depends on their size). Remove while you cook the chicken. Slice the potatoes in half and rub with a little more butter. Season cut side with salt, pepper, garlic salt, parsley and a little cayenne pepper if you like. When the chicken is done cooking (and you're letting it sit for 10-15 minutes), turn the temp to broil and raise the oven rack one notch. Put the potatoes in, cut side up, to brown slightly and reheat. Watch closely so they don't burn. Top with cottage cheese, yes, cottage cheese.