Roasted Chicken with Clementines: Bursting with Flavor and Color

Name: Roasted Chicken with Clementines
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 1/2 cup dry vermouth (or white wine); 4 tablespoons olive oil; 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice (I used Cara Cara); 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (I used meyer lemon); 2 tablespoons coarse grain dijon mustard; 2 tablespoons light brown sugar; 1 tablespoon dried thyme leaves (or a few sprigs of fresh); 2 teaspoons dried fennel seeds (crushed (anise seeds will work too)); 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt (or to taste); 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper (or to taste); 1 medium fennel bulb (green top trimmed and saved for another use); 1 medium onion (cut into wedges); 1 large chicken cut up or about 8 chicken thighs for a total of 2 3/4 lbs of chicken; 4 clementines (unpeeled, sliced in about 1/4 inch pieces cross-wise); chopped flat leaf parsley to garnish (optional)

by Beth Lee · Published: Feb 27, 2013 · Modified: Apr 21, 2023

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Chicken with clementines, roasted with fennel and onions in a citrusy marinade, is a knock-out dish to serve for a weeknight meal or a weekend gathering. It's also special enough and easy enough for all your holiday gatherings.

Another great chicken dish is my harissa chicken with preserved lemons recipe.

For ease of browsing, here are all of my main course recipes in one place.

Chicken thigh with roasted clementines and fennel on a tan plate with a fork and a cut-open clementine in the background.

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Why you'll love this recipe

I've been making this clementine chicken dish since we started our Tasting Jerusalem group in 2013. It never disappoints. It's based on an eye-catching and palate-pleasing chicken recipe from Jerusalem: A Cookbook by Ottolenghi and Tamimi. Here's why you should make it too:

You can prepare it ahead of time and just cook it right before you want to eat dinner. And because you roast at a high heat, it is ready in under an hour.
Roasted citrus (in this case clementines) are so good. Not just pretty to look at, but delicious to eat. Even the burned bits.
It's a meal in a pan - just add a fresh green salad or green vegetable and rice or couscous, if you'd like, and you're all set.
You'll become a fennel lover, if you aren't already. I wasn't a lover of licorice flavors and used to scroll past a recipe with fresh fennel or fennel seeds in it. But it turns out when you put heat on fennel, it mellows and sweetens. Now I love it!

Ingredients you'll need and substitutions

It may look like a lot of ingredients, but most you will have on hand. And it's worth checking and adding anything you need to your grocery list. I promise the resulting chicken dish is worth the effort!

Ingredient shot for clementine chicken with chicken in the middle and all other ingredients surrounding the chicken.

Chicken: Use light or dark meat, as you prefer, but the bones and skin are your friends for this dish.
Fresh fennel: Trust me and embrace the fennel! And don't waste those fronds - sprinkled on salads or save for stock.
Fennel seeds: If you don't have fennel seeds, anise seeds will be a perfect substitute.
Clementines: When clementine season is over, try other thin-skinned citrus - maybe even a mix of meyer lemons and some kind of tangerine. (haven't done this yet but I would!)
Vermouth: The original recipe calls for Arak, which is an anise-flavored liqueur. Since that flavor profile was already represented, I thought vermouth would be fun to try. According to this article in SF Gate about vermouth: “(Noilly Prat) has a very light, crisp aroma and body, with a mildly floral, oak-tinged flavor touched with hints of chamomile and lemon peel.” Sounded perfect to me so that's what I used. White wine will also work!

Tool to Use!

How to make this recipe

While the ingredient list is not short, the steps to prepare the chicken are. This really is an easy dish to cook!

1. First prepare the marinade, either in a bowl or to save a dish to wash, prepare it right in the roasting pan you will be cooking in. Place the first 10 ingredients in the roasting pan or bowl and mix well.

Marinade ingredients ready to put in a bowl to be mixed.

Clementine chicken marinade ingredients in a red bowl.

Marinade ingredients mixed and ready to go.

PRO TIP: I show my chicken in a glass baking dish. However, glass pans can, occasionally, crack under heat higher than 425°F. So to be extra careful, I recommend using a non-glass baking dish, especially if you plan to run it under the broiler for extra color on the chicken.

2. Add the fennel pieces, onions, chicken and sliced clementines to the roasting pan. If you're marinade is already in the pan, mix it all around to make sure everything is coated in the liquid. If you mixed the marinade separately, pour it over everything in the pan. Cover and refrigerate if planning to marinate for a few hours or overnight.

Note: I like to put the clementines on top because it looks gorgeous! But you do have to watch for them getting extra toasty when you roast the chicken.

Sliced clementines and fennel and onions on a red cutting board.

3. Preheat the oven to 425°F.

4. When ready to roast, remove the cover and cook uncovered, making sure the chicken skin is facing up. It will take 35 to 45 minutes. The clementines will be quite brown, even black around the edges and the chicken skin should be nicely browned. To check for doneness, you can poke the chicken and make sure the juices are running clear or use an instant-read thermometer and make sure dark meat is about 175°F and white meat is 165°F.

Clementine chicken roasting in the oven. — Remember, to be extra careful, don't do as I did, do as I say, and use a non-glass roasting pan!

5. Once out of the oven, transfer the chicken, fennel, onion, and clementines to a serving platter. Sprinkle with some fresh parsley and serve with extra sauce on the side.

Expert Tips and Recipe FAQs

If your oranges appear to be as cooked as you'd like before the chicken is done, just remove them to your serving platter while the chicken finishes or tuck them safely into the juices in the pan. (just be careful of the hot pan when doing this!)
The original recipe in the Jerusalem cookbook roasts at an even higher temperature. You can cook this at 450 or 475 but I like the slightly lower 425°F. If you are want the chicken even browner than it ends up, just turn on the broiler for a couple minutes. (Assuming you are using a roasting pan that can take temperatures above 425°F.)
Take advantage of shortcuts - make the marinade ahead and let the chicken and vegetables sit in it as long as overnight. And mixing the marinade right in the roasting pan saves you dishes!
If your vegetables cook faster or slower than the chicken, by chance, just remove what's done and let the rest cook for a smidge longer.
If you have time, you can pour the juices of the cooked chicken into a pan and reduce them down and intensify the flavor further. I don't usually bother, but it will only improve the flavor so absolutely do it if you want to.

Can clementine chicken be frozen?

Yes, you can freeze the leftovers or even the whole pan of chicken. Like all freezer items, be sure it is in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.

How do I know when the chicken is done cooking?

Use an instant read thermometer and check the internal temperature of the chicken avoiding touching the bone or the pan itself with the temperature sensor. White meat should register 165°F and dark meat at least 175°F.

Is this chicken with oranges recipe gluten free?

Yes but double check the mustard you use in case it has a vinegar in it that isn't gluten free, such as malt vinegar. But more than likely, this ingredient list should be gluten free. Be sure to check out this post about gluten free mustard if you are uncertain how to check.

What to serve with clementine chicken

Steamed rice or couscous would be a lovely base. Or Instant Pot basmati rice with barberries would really be a stunning combination with this chicken.

Small copper pot with saffron barberry rice in it and a rust colored scarf laying around it.

This roasted asparagus salad would also make a luscious side dish to pair with roast chicken with clementines. Even just the roasted asparagus with preserved lemon part of the salad served with the rice and chicken would be just magnificent.

Roasted asparagus salad on a big white plate.

If you love to learn about the flavors of Middle Eastern cuisine and the exciting cookbooks of Ottolenghi and Tamimi, please join the lively discussion in our Facebook group called Tasting Jerusalem.

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P.S. If you try this recipe, please leave a star rating and/or a review in the comment section below. I so appreciate your feedback! AND find more inspiration on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram. Signup for my email list, too!

Roasted Chicken with Clementines

Beth Lee

4.75 from 8 votes

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 45

Total Time 55

Course Main Course

Cuisine Middle Eastern

Servings servings

Calories 505 kcal

Ingredients

½ cup dry vermouth or white wine
4 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice I used Cara Cara
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice I used meyer lemon
2 tablespoons coarse grain dijon mustard
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoon dried thyme leaves or a few sprigs of fresh
2 teaspoons dried fennel seeds crushed (anise seeds will work too)
2 ½ teaspoons kosher salt or to taste
1 ½ teaspoons pepper or to taste
1 medium fennel bulb green top trimmed and saved for another use
1 medium onion cut into wedges
1 large chicken cut up or about 8 chicken thighs for a total of 2 ¾ lbs of chicken
4 clementines unpeeled, sliced in about ¼ inch pieces cross-wise
chopped flat leaf parsley to garnish optional

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Instructions

Prepare your marinade using the first 10 ingredients. Whisk together in a medium mixing bowl or place the ingredients directly into the roasting pan and mix well.
Place the chicken, fennel and onions into your roasting pan and pour the marinade over, if it's not already in the pan. Make sure everything is coated with marinade and either place the clementines on top (I like to put the clementines on top because it looks gorgeous!) or mix them in with the fennel and onions and chicken. Cover and refrigerate if planning to marinate for a few hours or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 425°F. When ready to roast, remove the cover of the roasting pan. Cook uncovered, making sure the chicken skin is facing up. It will take 40 to 45 minutes. Start checking at 35 minutes. The clementines will be quite brown, even black around the edges and the chicken skin should be nicely browned. White meat chicken should be cooked to 165°F and dark meat chicken to at least 175°F. (note: though my picture shows a glass pan, if you plan to broil at the end or cook at higher than 425°F, use a non-glass roasting pan).
Once out of the oven, transfer the chicken, fennel, onion, and clementines to a serving platter. Optionally, pour the sauce in a saucepan to reduce by about a third. If you don't have time to reduce the sauce, it is fine as is. Pour some on the chicken, sprinkle a bit of fresh chopped parsley if you like and serve with basmati rice or a side of your choice. And eat those clementines, even with the dark edges - I promise they are delicious!

Notes

1. If your oranges appear to be as cooked as you'd like before the chicken is done, just remove them to your serving platter while the chicken finishes or tuck them safely into the juices in the pan. (just be careful of the hot pan when doing this!)

1. The original recipe in the Jerusalem cookbook roasts at an even higher temperature. You can cook this at 450 or 475 but I like the slightly lower 425°F. If you want the chicken even browner than it ends up, just turn on the broiler for a couple minutes. (Assuming you are using a roasting pan that can take temperatures above 425°F.)

1. Take advantage of shortcuts - make the marinade ahead and let the chicken and vegetables sit in it as long as overnight. And mixing the marinade right in the roasting pan saves you dishes!

1. If your vegetables cook faster or slower than the chicken, by chance, just remove what's done and let the rest cook for a smidge longer.

Nutrition

Calories: 505kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 26gFat: 34gSaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 147mgSodium: 1166mgPotassium: 641mgFiber: 3gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 210IUVitamin C: 37.7mgCalcium: 81mgIron: 2.6mg

Keyword clementines, fennel, roast chicken

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