In her New York Times bestseller Everyday Italian, Giada De Laurentiis introduced us to the simple, fresh flavors of her native Italian cuisine. Now, America’s favorite Italian cook is back with a new batch of simple, delicious recipes geared toward family meals—Italian style. These unpretentious and delicious meals are at the center of some of Giada’s warmest memories of sitting around the table with her family, passing bowls of wonderful food, and laughing over old times.
Cooking a chicken whole guarantees that the meat will be moist every time. But plain roast chicken can be a bit boring. The bright flavors of citrus fruits make a zesty but still light pan sauce that is a wonderful alternative to traditional gravy.
Makes 6 servings
1 (5- to 6-pound) whole roasting chicken, neck and giblets discarded
Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Pat the chicken dry and sprinkle the cavity with salt and pepper. Stuff the cavity with the orange, lemon and garlic halves. Using kitchen twine, tie the chicken legs together to help hold the bird's shape. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper.
Place a rack in a large roasting pan. Place the chicken, breast side up, on the rack in the pan.
Roast the chicken for 1 hour, basting occasionally and adding some chicken broth to the pan if necessary to prevent the pan drippings from burning.
In a medium bowl, whisk the orange juice, lemon juice, oil, oregano, and chopped garlic to blend. Brush some of the juice mixture over the chicken.
Continue roasting the chicken, basting occasionally with the juice mixture and adding broth to the pan, until a meat thermometer inserted into the innermost part of the thigh registers 170 degrees F, about 45 minutes longer.
Transfer the chicken to a platter. Tent with foil while making the sauce (do not clean the pan).
Place the same roasting pan over medium-low heat. Whisk in any remaining broth and simmer, stirring often, until the sauce is reduced to 1 cup, about 3 minutes. Strain into a 2-cup glass measuring cup and discard the solids. Spoon the fat from the top of the sauce.
