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spooning orange maple glaze over spatchcocked and whole roasted orange maple chicken

Spatchcocked & Whole Roasted Orange Maple Chicken

Juicy & tender chicken seasoned with herbs, fresh orange zest and robust dark maple syrup complete with an irresistible sticky orange maple glaze!
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Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Course: dinner
Cuisine: American
Keyword: orange chicken, orange maple chicken, roasted chicken, whole chicken recipes
Servings: 1 whole chicken
Author: Ainseanlea @ The Stush Kitchen

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Equipment

  • 1 roasting pan with rack
  • turkey baster
  • kitchen shears
  • small saucepan

Ingredients

  • 1 whole roaster chicken 5-6 lbs
  • 1 large navel orange juice and zest
  • 2 TBSP softened unsalted butter or oil (I like olive oil)
  • 4 TBSP dark maple syrup split in two 2 TBSP portions
  • 2 TBSP garlic, minced about 6 cloves
  • 1 TBSP ginger, minced about 1 ounce or thumb-sized
  • 1 TBSP rosemary, minced about 2 sprigs
  • 1 TBSP paprika
  • 2 tsp salt or to taste
  • 2 tsp black pepper or to taste
  • 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock

Instructions

Spatchcock the Chicken

  • Flip your chicken over on the breast side and feel on either side of the tail for a soft spot. Using a sturdy pair of kitchen shears and starting at the soft spot, cut along the side of the spine up to the base of the neck. Repeat on the other side & remove any remnants of innards from along the cut edges.
  • Flip the chicken over again and with your hands one on top of the other & interlocked, press down on the breast bone with the heel of your palm. You should hear or feel a crack.

Making the Spatchcocked Whole Roasted Orange Maple Chicken

  • Prepare the rub by combining the orange zest, softened butter, 2 TBSP of the maple syrup, garlic, ginger, rosemary, paprika, salt & black pepper in a small bowl and mix til combined.
  • Pat the chicken dry using paper towels. This will help the skin crisp as it roasts and help the marinade better stick.
  • Apply the rub to the chicken, making sure to pull the skin away from the meat and apply the rub under the skin as well. Squeeze the orange juice over the chicken. You can roast right away but marinating for at least 4 hours is optimal.
  • Preheat oven to 375°F. After marinating, place the chicken breast-side up in a pan with an inset rack. Pour any remaining marinade along with the chicken stock into the bottom of the roasting pan & insert your meat thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh.
  • Cover with aluminum foil and roast the chicken in the oven for 30 minutes on the middle rack.
  • Remove the foil after 30 minutes and brush the chicken with the remaining maple syrup. Continue to roast the chicken until the temperature probe records an internal temperature of 165-170°F (about another 30 -40 minutes).
  • Using a turkey baster baste the chicken with the pan drippings every 10-15 minutes to help with caramelization and deepen the flavor.
  • Once the chicken reaches an internal temperature of at least 165°F remove it from the oven and allow it to rest for at least 15 minutes before cutting or removing the thermometer probe.
  • While the chicken rests prepare the orange maple glaze sauce. Transfer the pan juices to a small saucepan and over medium to medium-high heat allow the drippings to reduce into a sauce/glaze. Add extra maple syrup and/or salt to taste as needed.
  • Serve glaze as a sauce on the side or pour over the whole chicken. Serve warm.
  • See blog post for details on how to break down your whole chicken.
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