Perfect Spice Rubbed Roast Chicken

SPICE RUBBED ROAST CHICKEN😍

I know what you’re thinking - “I don’t need another roast chicken recipe”, or “it can’t be that good”, or “I’ll just pick one up from Costco”. Trust me, that was me before my grandma FINALLY taught me how to make the best roast chicken I have ever had in my life. It is SO flavorful, so moist, and will have your whole family scraping for 2nds and 3rds (my grandpa and I had to stop ourselves after our third serving)😋

My American grandma is wildly different from my Spanish grandma - whereas my Spanish grandma relies on sense to cook (like me), my American grandma is a recipe reader to a T - which is probably why she’s such an incredible baker and I am not (lol). I think she found this recipe in Sunset magazine from like the 90s, and has adjusted it each time, adding in different things and I swear 2019 is the year she perfected it. Make this simple recipe next time you have friends or family over and thank me (mainly my grandma) later😋

Ingredients:

For the Spice Rub:

• 1 tbsp coriander seeds

• 1 tbsp fennel seeds

• 1 tbsp red pepper flakes

• 1 tbsp smoked paprika

• ¼ cup olive oil

• Zest from 1 orange

• Zest from 1 lemon

For the Roast Chicken:

• 1 3-4 lb organic whole chicken

• ¾ cup chicken broth

• 1 tbsp tomato paste

• ½ cup dry white wine (sub for chicken broth if doing Whole30)

• 6-7 peeled garlic cloves

• Salt

Directions:

For the Spice Rubbed Roast Chicken:

• Start by patting dry the chicken with some paper towels.

• Season the outside and inside generously with salt and let it rest for about 45 minutes (this will help get the skin crispy and also help bring the chicken to room temperature).

• Grind coriander seeds and fennel seeds in a mortar and pestle, or use the bottom of a sauce pan or glass to break up the seeds into a rough powder.

• Transfer to a bowl and red pepper flakes, smoked paprika, olive oil and orange and lemon zest.

• Rub the spice mix all over the chicken and under the skin as well.

• Let sit for about 15 minutes while the oven preheats to 425 degrees.

• In a cast iron skillet, whisk together chicken broth, tomato paste, and wine.

• Scatter garlic cloves all over the skillet and place your chicken on top, tying the legs together with some twine. My grandma usually cooks her chicken upside down to keep the breast moist, but didn’t with this one because the broth it cooks in helps keep it moist.

• Bake at 425 for about 50-55 minutes or until an instant thermometer reads 155 (it will continue cooking as it rests). Check on it halfway through, and cover with aluminum foil if it looks like the skin is getting too brown.

• Once your chicken is cooked, transfer to a board and let it rest for 15 minutes.

• Transfer your cast iron with the sauce remaining in it to a burner and reduce on low for about 5-10 minutes, smashing the roasted garlic into the sauce.

• Serve the chicken with some potatoes and veggies for a delicious and hearty meal that tastes just as good for lunch all week!