Citrus Chicken with Roasted Red Cabbage

Red cabbage is a winter vegetable; now is the perfect time to eat it! Roasting a chicken is easy and if you add oranges and lemons it will be delicious!

This is the perfect Sunday dinner: I suggest you prepare the chicken and cabbage and put it in the oven a couple of hours before planning to serve dinner. You are now free to do the chores around the house or just relax; when you are finished lunch or dinner will be ready for all the family. Don't forget to ask your children to set the table in the meantime!

Tips: Always let your chicken come to room temperature before placing it in the oven. Take the chicken out of the fridge at least 45 minutes before roasting.

Always dry your chicken really well on the outside with paper towels. By drying your chicken you will ensure a great browning.

You can either roast the chicken placed on a rack or directly on the roasting pan.  I suggest you roast it directly on the pan if you are a beginner cook or don't want to check your roast every 20 minutes. If you place the chicken in the rack, you will need to add chicken stock or water every once in a while but you will ensure your chicken cooks evenly and doesn't stick to the pan.

I like to roast the chicken at low temperature since it will be very tender and juicy. However, it will take a little longer to cook. If you want to speed it up, you can increase your oven temperature to 380-400 degrees Fahrenheit and reduce the roasting time to 45 minutes to one hour.

You can roast the cabbage at the same time with the chicken but in different pans. Also adjust the roasting time for the cabbage if you are increasing oven temperature.


CITRUS CHICKEN

1 whole chicken
2 oranges (cut in 10-12 pieces)
1 lemon (cut in 10-12 pieces)
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1 cup of chicken stock

For the sauce: 

1/2 cup of sweet white wine (like amontillado sherry or any other sweet wine)
1 tablespoon of honey
1 tablespoon of brown sugar

In a roasting pan place the chicken breast side up. Stuff the chicken with orange and lemon sections and place the rest of the citrus in the pan around the chicken. Season with olive oil, salt and pepper. Add the chicken stock to the bottom of the pan.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F and roast for about 10 minutes. Decrease oven temperature to 350 degrees F and cook for about 1 and 20 minutes or until a thermometer inserted in the meaty part of the thigh registers 165ºF.
If you are using a rack you will need to add chicken stock or water to the bottom of the pan every 20 minutes or whenever the liquid has dried out.
Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let it stand for 15 minutes before carving.
Meanwhile, transfer all the juices and drippings left in the pan to a small saucepan. Using a fine-mesh sieve, strain juices left in the orange and lemon sections directly into the saucepan. Add 1/2 cup of wine, honey and brown sugar and let cook at high heat so that the alcohol evaporates for about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Carve the chicken and serve the meat drizzled with the sauce.

ROASTED RED CABBAGE

1 cabbage
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons of ground cumin
4 cloves
salt and pepper

Slice cabbage in half lengthwise. Use a sharp knife to cut a V-shaped notch around the white core and discard it. Slice both pieces in half again so you have four quarters. Slice the cabbage again in quarters and then thinly slice each piece crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick strips.

In a large mixing bowl toss the cabbage with olive oil, cumin, cloves, salt and pepper. Transfer to a baking pan. Tightly cover with aluminum foil and bake at the same temperature set for the chicken 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue cooking for another 10 minutes.

Preparing the chicken

How to cut the cabbage

Cabbage is out of the oven

Roasted chicken should reach a temperature of 165 degrees F when inserted in the thigh

Smash the citrus to get the juice into the sauce. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve.