Oven Roasted Chicken

The crispy, well-seasoned skin of a roast chicken is one of life’s finer things. And that smell…ohhh Lord, don’t even get me started on that smell. Who doesn’t love the smell of a roasting chicken?  Savory and sweet a smell that reminds me of my childhood and the time when my mother went through a “lets make roast chicken every night phase.” I know if you are in the local area you are probably wondering “what in the world possessed her to roast a chicken in this hellish weather…its been over 100 degrees out here people. The desire to drink a cold orange wheat beer from Hangar 24, that’s what got into me. Hangar 24 Orange Wheat beer taste exactly how you expect an orange beer to taste. It has the perfect blend of fresh natural oranges and beer.This beer is a perfect addition to a roasted chicken. While the chicken is dry roasting on the outside, the chicken is being bathed with steamy beer that is slightly tart and filled with crisp orange flavors. The beer keep the chicken meat fragrant and wonderfully moist. The result is tender, falling-off-the-bone meat, encased in salty, herby, crispy skin.

Ingredients:

1 Medium-Sized Chicken, innards removed

Juice From 1 Orange

1 Yam, peeled & cut into roughly 2-inch chunks

1 Orange, cut into 8 slices

1 Bottle Hangar 24 Orange Wheat

2 Springs Fresh Rosemary, whole

1/4 Cup Butter (solid), plus 3 tablespoons (melted)

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 1/2 Tablespoon Honey
2 Teaspoons Fresh Rosemary, chopped
1 Teaspoon Freshly Grated Orange Zest
Salt to Taste

Freshly Ground Pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, 3 tablespoons of melted butter, and honey. Pour 1/2 the mixture in a chicken-sized roasting pan and toss with the yams, sweet potatoes, or butternut squash, orange slices, 1 teaspoon of the chopped rosemary, 1/2 teaspoon of the orange zest, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and freshly ground pepper. Mix and set aside. Next rub down the chicken with the remaining olive oil mixture, inside and out. Then rub the remaining chopped rosemary, orange zest, salt, and pepper onto the chicken, rub it really well on the skin and the inside as well, this is key. Place the chicken in the roasting pan and arrange the yams (or whatever you are using) and orange slices around the chicken. Place the rest of the butter inside the chicken and under the skin. Place the leftover rosemary springs inside the chicken as well. Pour the Hangar 24 Orange Wheat and orange juice around the chicken, do not pour over the chicken since it would wash off the rub.