orange saffron roast chicken + rosemary roasted baby potatoes
Rarely has a spice captivated my heart so strongly as saffron. Worth its weight in gold, it was for treasure such as this that Columbus set sail into the unknown. Poems have been written about it, songs have been sung in exultation of its piquant magnificence and at least one war has been fought for it. The scent of saffron has always reminded me of home, the frail crimson filaments transporting me back to memories of family and festivity. For many folks, saffron is an exotic spice; they’re unsure of its use, but it holds a mysterious attraction that makes it impossible to ignore. In my house it was a part of countless meals, imbuing our rice dishes with a sunshine hue and suffusing meats with a particular glamour unmatched by any other constituent.
Ancient and inveterate, saffron has been used by mages and culinary artists alike for over 3,500 years. The flavor is derived from the vibrant red stamen of the crocus sativa flower (my second favorite sativa flower) and it takes about 80,000 of them to harvest just one pound of these glorious little threads. Hence, it ranks among the world’s most valuable substances and a symbol of prosperity throughout the ages. Due to its immense value, ground saffron is often diluted by adding other items like turmeric, paprika and pollen from other flowers. This is why I advise that you only purchase whole threads whenever possible.
The marriage of chicken with saffron is as emblematic as Cleopatra and Marc Antony, Romeo and Juliet or Sonny and Cher. Since time immemorial chicken and saffron have been a fundamental pairing in varied cuisines from around the world. Even the official national dish of Cuba is a celebration of the harmonious union between these two iconic ingredients.
Chicken is a crowd pleaser. Simple to make and fairly budget-friendly, chicken presents a compelling blank canvas for the flavor palette of most any cuisine. It has been has been gracing tables for centuries, nourishing bodies and souls, and filling homes with its heady aroma. There’s just something magical about the crackly skin and juicy meat of a perfectly roasted chicken.
Pairing oranges and saffron together gives this recipe a sweet, floral, earthy flavor and exquisite color which lend a pronounced elegance to the dish, and the addition of fresh rosemary at the end imparts a perfume that highlights the essence of the saffron and oranges. Roasting the potatoes in pan drippings infuses them with the nuanced quality of the ingredients.
Loaded with tons of flavor, this is one meal that will leave those to whom you serve it, spellbound.
orange saffron roast chicken + rosemary roasted baby potatoes
brine
8 cups cold water, divided in halves
4 cups ice
¾ cup kosher salt
½ cup sugar
1 tbsp. black peppercorns
2 tsp. yellow mustard seeds
1 tsp. coriander seeds
1 tsp. saffron threads
3 bay leaves
2 oranges, halved
In a large saucepan set over medium-high heat, bring 4 cups of water to a simmer. Add salt + sugar, whisk to dissolve completely.
Remove from heat. Add the peppercorns + mustard seeds + coriander seeds + saffron threads + bay leaves. Whisk to combine and allow to rest at room temperature for 10 minutes.
Transfer to the brining container. Add the remaining cold water + ice. Squeeze oranges over the brine and add the halves to the brine. Place in fridge and cool brine completely.
Remove giblets from the cavity of the chicken.
When the brine is cold, add the chicken, making sure that it is completely submerged in the brine. Place in the fridge and brine for 8-12 hours.
roast chicken
5-6 lb. whole chicken (giblets removed)
6 fresh garlic cloves, smashed + peeled
2 oranges, sliced 1” thick
4 tbsp. olive oil, divided into ¾ + ¼
¼ tsp. saffron threads
zest of ½ an orange
baby potatoes
1 ½ lbs. baby potatoes
1 tsp. fresh rosemary leaves, minced
½ tsp. fresh cracked black pepper
Pre-heat oven to 500 degrees F.
Remove chicken from the brine and gently rinse under cold running water. Pat chicken dry inside and out with paper towels. Place the orange slices + smashed garlic cloves into the empty cavity. Truss the chicken legs and tuck the wing tips under the breast. Let the chicken sit at room temperature for 45 minutes before roasting. This helps to ensure even cooking throughout the chicken, yielding a moist and tender bird.
Meanwhile, place the roasting pan into the oven and let it heat up in the hot oven for 20 minutes while the chicken sits.
In a small bowl add 3 tablespoons of the olive oil + orange zest + saffron threads. Whisk thoroughly to combine. Brush oil mixture liberally over the entire chicken.
Carefully remove the roasting pan from the oven and place on a heat-proof surface. Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and swirl around the hot pan.
Carefully place the chicken into the hot, oiled pan. This will help to crisp up the bottom of the chicken. Place the chicken in the bottom 1/3 of the oven and roast, uncovered, at 500 degrees for 10 minutes.
Reduce heat to 425 degrees and continue roasting for 30 minutes.
Remove pan from oven. Add the baby potatoes around the chicken and carefully shimmy the pan to lightly coat the potatoes in the pan drippings. Place pan back into the oven and continue roasting, uncovered, until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken reads 165 degrees and the potatoes are cooked through, about 15-20 minutes.
Carefully remove chicken from roasting pan and place on a cutting board or platter. Allow chicken to rest for 15-20 minutes before slicing. Toss the potatoes in the pan with the pan drippings and the black pepper + fresh rosemary.
Serve chicken with the roasted potatoes.
brujo notes:
- For a chicken this size I would not recommend brining for more than 12 hours.
- In recent years I’ve been seeing a lot of recipes and posts instructing folks not to rinse their poultry under cold running water because of a risk of splashing germs around the sink and counter area. I humbly disagree. It’s kinda like saying “don’t cook in your kitchen because you may get things dirty.”
I’ve found that not rinsing a brined bird can yield an overly-salty end product, and that some of the brine ingredients get stuck in the fowl’s cavity or under the skin (ie: peppercorns, seeds, etc.), which could make for an unpleasant experience if you inadvertently bite into one. I would suggest that when you rinse the chicken, just do so under gently running water.
Once you’re done prepping your bird and it’s safely in the oven just whip out your go-to cleanser wipes and give your countertops and sink a good once over (which we should all be doing anytime we cook). By all means, feel free to bathe that birdie!
- To “truss” the chicken legs means to bind them together using kitchen twine so that the legs stay close to the body. I’ve found that not only does this help to keep any type of stuffing snugly within the chicken; it also makes for a beautiful presentation. Utilizing this technique is totally optional, but I’ve been doing it for 20+ years with marvelous results and no issues. The method I used here was to make a figure 8 around the tips of the drumsticks thrice, pulling tight after each figure 8. There are countless videos online which showcase a variety of ways to do this, but the way I did it here is super simple and fast.
- Check the chicken about halfway through roasting. If the skin is becoming overly browned you can cover it loosely with foil to keep the skin from burning and the breast meat from overcooking.
- Allowing the chicken to rest is of the utmost importance to ensure a juicy bird. Resting allows the juices inside the chicken to redistribute into the meat. If we cut the meat right out of the heat, the active juices inside will pool out and your roasted bird will end up dry. Also, when we remove the chicken from the oven the temperature will continue to cook for a few minutes, with the temperature actually increasing a couple of degrees. This is known as “carry-over cooking” and is one of the main reasons you want to allow any meat to rest before cutting into it.
wine pairing: Wolffer Estate Summer in a Bottle Rosé 2020
This vibrant and remarkably food-friendly rosé has lovely spiciness and rich texture that pair astonishingly well with our majestic bird. Featuring clean fruit notes and luxurious ripeness, this rosé brings out the delicate characteristics of the saffron and engages with the full-bodied flavor of roasted chicken.
beer pairing: Harpoon Brewery Sweet Spot
A delicious and balanced blonde ale that lives up to its name. Earthy and bright with subtle floral notes, this brew enhances all of the key flavor components of this dish: saffron, citrus, rosemary and the richness of the roasted chicken. Bangtacular.
musical pairing: Surfin’ Bird – The Trashmen
orange saffron roast chicken + rosemary roasted baby potatoes
- Total Time: 1 hr., 15 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
There’s something magical about the crackly skin and juicy meat of a perfectly roasted chicken. Served with rosemary baby potatoes, you’ll be spellbound!
Ingredients
brine:
8 cups cold water, divided in halves
4 cups ice
¾ cup kosher salt
½ cup sugar
1 tbsp. black peppercorns
2 tsp. yellow mustard seeds
1 tsp. coriander seeds
1 tsp. saffron threads
3 bay leaves
2 oranges, halved
chicken:
5-6 lb. whole chicken (giblets removed)
6 fresh garlic cloves, smashed + peeled
2 oranges, sliced 1” thick
4 tbsp. olive oil, divided into ¾ + ¼
¼ tsp. saffron threads
zest of ½ an orange
baby potatoes:
1 ½ lbs. baby potatoes
1 tsp. fresh rosemary leaves, minced
½ tsp. fresh cracked black pepper
Instructions
for the brine:
In a large saucepan set over medium-high heat, bring 4 cups of water to a simmer. Add salt + sugar, whisk to dissolve completely.
Remove from heat. Add the peppercorns + mustard seeds + coriander seeds + saffron threads + bay leaves. Whisk to combine and allow to rest at room temperature for 10 minutes.
Transfer to the brining container. Add the remaining cold water + ice. Squeeze oranges over the brine and add the halves to the brine. Place in fridge and cool brine completely.
Remove giblets from the cavity of the chicken.
When the brine is cold, add the chicken, making sure that it is completely submerged in the brine. Place in the fridge and brine for 8-12 hours.
for the chicken + baby potatoes:
Pre-heat oven to 500 degrees F.
Remove chicken from the brine and gently rinse under cold running water. Pat chicken dry inside and out with paper towels. Place the orange slices + smashed garlic cloves into the empty cavity. Truss the chicken legs and tuck the wing tips under the breast. Let the chicken sit at room temperature for 45 minutes before roasting. This helps to ensure even cooking throughout the chicken, yielding a moist and tender bird.
Meanwhile, place the roasting pan into the oven and let it heat up in the hot oven for 20 minutes while the chicken sits.
In a small bowl add 3 tablespoons of the olive oil + orange zest + saffron threads. Whisk thoroughly to combine. Brush oil mixture liberally over the entire chicken.
Carefully remove the roasting pan from the oven and place on a heat-proof surface. Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and swirl around the hot pan.
Carefully place the chicken into the hot, oiled pan. This will help to crisp up the bottom of the chicken. Place the chicken in the bottom 1/3 of the oven and roast, uncovered, at 500 degrees for 10 minutes.
Reduce heat to 425 degrees and continue roasting for 30 minutes.
Remove pan from oven. Add the baby potatoes around the chicken and carefully shimmy the pan to lightly coat the potatoes in the pan drippings. Place pan back into the oven and continue roasting, uncovered, until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken reads 165 degrees and the potatoes are cooked through, about 15-20 minutes.
Carefully remove chicken from roasting pan and place on a cutting board or platter. Allow chicken to rest for 15-20 minutes before slicing. Toss the potatoes in the pan with the pan drippings and the black pepper + fresh rosemary.
Serve chicken with the roasted potatoes.
Notes
pairings:
wine: Wolffer Estate Summer in a Bottle Rosé 2020. This vibrant and remarkably food-friendly rosé has lovely spiciness and rich texture that pair astonishingly well with our majestic bird. Featuring clean fruit notes and luxurious ripeness, this rosé brings out the delicate characteristics of the saffron and engages with the full-bodied flavor of roasted chicken.
beer: Harpoon Brewery Sweet Spot. A delicious and balanced blonde ale that lives up to its name. Earthy and bright with subtle floral notes, this brew enhances all of the key flavor components of this dish: saffron, citrus, rosemary and the richness of the roasted chicken. Bangtacular.
musical pairing- Surfin’ Bird by The Trashmen
brujo notes:
- For a chicken this size I would not recommend brining for more than 12 hours.
- In recent years I’ve been seeing a lot of recipes and posts instructing folks not to rinse their poultry under cold running water because of a risk of splashing germs around the sink and counter area. I humbly disagree. It’s kinda like saying “don’t cook in your kitchen because you may get things dirty.” I’ve found that not rinsing a brined bird can yield an overly-salty end product, and that some of the brine ingredients get stuck in the fowl’s cavity or under the skin (ie: peppercorns, seeds, etc.), which could make for an unpleasant experience if you inadvertently bite into one. I would suggest that when you rinse the chicken, just do so under gently running water.
- Once you’re done prepping your bird and it’s safely in the oven just whip out your go-to cleanser wipes and give your countertops + sink a good once over (which we should all be doing anytime we cook). By all means, feel free to bathe that birdie!
- To “truss” the chicken legs means to bind them together using kitchen twine so that the legs stay close to the body. I’ve found that not only does this help to keep any type of stuffing snugly within the chicken; it also makes for a beautiful presentation. Utilizing this technique is totally optional, but I’ve been doing it for 20+ years with marvelous results and no issues. The method I used here was to make a figure 8 around the tips of the drumsticks thrice, pulling tight after each figure 8. There are countless videos online which showcase a variety of ways to do this, but the way I did it here is super simple and fast.
- Check the chicken about halfway through roasting. If the skin is becoming overly browned you can cover it loosely with foil to keep the skin from burning and the breast meat from overcooking.
- Allowing the chicken to rest is of the utmost importance to ensure a juicy bird. Resting allows the juices inside the chicken to redistribute into the meat. If we cut the meat right out of the heat, the active juices inside will pool out and your roasted bird will end up dry. Also, when we remove the chicken from the oven the temperature will continue to cook for a few minutes, with the temperature actually increasing a couple of degrees. This is known as “carry-over cooking” and is one of the main reasons you want to allow any meat to rest before cutting into it.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes (+12 hrs. brining time)
- Cook Time: 1 hr.
- Category: main dish magic
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: baby potatoes, brine, chicken, herbs, main dish, orange, orange saffron roast chicken, oven-roasted, potatoes, poultry, roast, roasted baby potatoes, rosemary, saffron
