crate of clementines

Clementine Roasted Chicken

bake time: approximately 45 mins
prep time: 15 mins

1 3-5 lb whole chicken, giblets removed
3 clementines: 2 juiced, 1 quartered
1/4 cup honey
4-5 cloves, roughly ground
1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
1 small yellow onion
1 tsp flour * optional

Preheat oven to 375F. Wash chicken, pat dry. Season with salt and pepper on skin and in cavity.

In a small saucepan, combine juice from 2 clementines and flesh (about 1/4 cup), honey, cloves and ginger over medium-low heat. Simmer for 5 minutes, remove from heat.

clementine marinade

Peel and quarter a small onion, and place in chicken cavity.  Place chicken in roasting pan.  Pour marinade over both sides of chicken. Scatter remaining clementine in quarters in the pan (rind intact), and place chicken breast down.

marinated chicken

Roast at 375F for approximately 45 minutes – turning over halfway through – or until reaches internal temp of 165F with a thermometer place in the innermost part of the thigh. Place on a platter or cutting board to rest.

I chose to roast my chicken directly the the pan for this recipe so it would soak up the most of the marinade, and I recommend turning halfway through the cooking process so that both sides marinate evenly .

clementine roast chicken

While the chicken is resting, remove the clementine quarters from the roast pan. Pour the pan drippings through a fine sieve into a cup or gravy boat. If you’d like a thicker gravy, add 1-2 tsp of flour and whisk thoroughly. Pour over plated chicken.

clementine chicken and whipped potatoes

Serve with potatoes or rustic bread to sop up that delicious gravy!

I was fidgeting a bit with an existing recipe for brown sugar glazed pork so it would work in the slow cooker.  Also, I was trying to use up some leftover apples and cider. I decided to caramelize the apples and use them as a stuffing. A savory fruit stuffing adds a nice contract to the roast, and it’s a really beautiful presentation when you’re slicing these to the plate.

apple stuffing

I used a sirloin cut roast, but this will work with a tenderloin or other cut, so long as it’s 4-6lbs and a few inches deep. Larger roasts will take a bit longer, but since we’re working with a slow cooker, you don’t need to worry about the exact time.

1 4-6lb pork roast (center cut, tenderloin, etc)

Glaze:
1 cup dark brown sugar, plus 2 tbsp
1 tbsp dijon-style mustard
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp fresh grated nutmeg

Stuffing:
2 medium apples
1 1/2 tbsp butter
1/4 cup apple cider
2 tsp fresh chopped rosemary

Peel and chop to apples into 1/2 inch cubes. Add butter into a sauce pan over medium heat. When butter has melted, add apples and stir for a few minutes, until apples have barely softened.  Add cider and cook until reduced a bit, then mix in chopped rosemary . Remove from heat; allow to cool to room temp.

Wash roast and pat try. Rub with salt and pepper.  Using a long knife, slit the roast in the center. Cut on each end, and then carefully press through the center until both cuts meet.

Take apple mixture and spoon into the hole you’ve slit in the roast. Mix brown sugar, mustard, balsamic vinegar, and nutmeg in a small bowl. The texture will be grainy but moist. Rub all over pork.

brown sugar glaze

Place roast in slow cooker. Take any remaining apples and cider, and pour over roast.

ready for the slow cooker

Depending on your slow cooker settings and how much time you have, you can cook on high (around 3-4 hours for a 4lb roast) or low (around 6-8 hours for a 4lb roast) until you reach an internal temp of 160F. Your slow cooker should switch to “warm” mode after the internal temp has been reached.

Remove from slow cooker and allow meat to rest for 5 minutes.  While the meat is resting, take remaining 2 tbsp of brown sugar and rub over top of pork. This should melt on its own.  Cut into 1″ thick serving slices.

all done, with potatoes and spinach gratin