Meyer Lemon Roasted Chicken with Marmalade

Name: Sunkist Growers
Price range: $

Chef Cindy Pawlcyn, Napa Valley, CA

Serves: 4

Ingredients

1 roasting chicken (3 ½-4 pound) whole chicken, air chilled and organic preferred
1 Meyer lemon, zest (set aside), and cut in fourths
1 scant teaspoon salt
1 lemon, zested
2 cloves garlic, skins removed and minced
1/2 teaspoon white pepper, freshly ground
1/2 bunch finely chopped thyme, stems removed.

2 medium red onions, peeled and sliced into half inch circles
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt
fresh ground pepper
2 shallots, peeled and sliced thin
2 sprigs thyme or savory, stems removed and minced
2 tablespoons butter
2 ounces Grand Marnier or cognac
3 cups chicken or other poultry stock, preferably dark brown and rich. Tip-if using chicken stock from a box, in a sauté pan caramelize onions, add the stock and reduce to about half, scraping up the onion bits until a rich, brown color.
2 tablespoons lemon, lime or orange marmalade or a combination
salt to taste
fresh ground pepper

Preheat the oven to 400°.
Combine salt, sugar, lemon zest, garlic, pepper, and thyme and mix well. Dry the skin of the chicken thoroughly with paper towels. Rub the spice mixture all over the skin of the bird, including wings, legs and thighs.
Place the chicken on a rack in a shallow roasting pan, breast side down in a preheated 400° oven. Roast for 30-35 minutes, the skin should be turning golden brown. Turn the bird breast side up and roast for an additional 40 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 160-165° when measured with a meat thermometer, and the skin is golden brown.
Let the chicken rest for 10-15 minutes before carving, preferably in a warm oven.

Preheat oven to 375-400°.
Place the onion slices in a shallow roasting pan and drizzle with the olive oil, season with the salt and pepper and cover with foil. Place in a preheated 375-400° oven and roast covered 15-20 minutes, remove the foil and roast a few minutes more till edges are caramelized. (You can do this while the chicken is roasting) Keep warm.
In a 1 ½-2 quart saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat and sweat the shallots and herbs. Cook until the shallots are very tender stirring occasionally-a slight bit of browning is okay. Deglaze with the Grand Marnier or cognac and cook until the alcohol is reduced by half.
Add the chicken or poultry stock and keep at a simmer for 20 minutes. Add the marmalade and keep warm. Just before serving taste for salt and pepper and add as needed. If you prefer a richer sauce bring the sauce to almost boiling and swirl in an additional tablespoon of butter.
To serve, carve the roasted chicken and place on a warmed plate, arrange some of the onions over each portion and ladle a small amount of sauce. You don’t want to drench the crispy skin so serve remaining sauce in a container at the table.