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Home » Chicken and Turkey Recipes

Roasted Chicken with Clementines: Bursting with Flavor and Color

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

258 shares
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Pinterest image showing chicken on a tan plate with slices of clementines.

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!
Clementine chicken on an off-white plate with a fork in front and a sliced clementine in the background.

Tool to Use!

  • Roasting Pan
  • Mixing Bowls
  • Small Whisks

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.
Chicken in pan with onions and fennel.
Clementine chicken ready to be roasted.

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.

Clementine chicken on an off-white plate with a fork in front and a sliced clementine in the background.

Expert Tips and Recipe FAQs

  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!)
  2. 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.)
  3. 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!
  4. 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.
  5. 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!

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

Roasted Chicken with Clementines

Beth Lee
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. Adapted from a recipe from the Jerusalem cookbook by Ottolenghi and Tamimi.
4.75 from 8 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
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Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 45 minutes mins
Total Time 55 minutes mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Middle Eastern
Servings 6 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
Get Recipe Ingredients

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.
    Marinade ingredients mixed and ready to go.
  • 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.
    Clementine chicken ready to be roasted.
  • 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).
    Roasting pan of chicken in the oven.
  • 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!
    Chicken thigh with roasted clementines and fennel on a tan plate with a fork and a cut-open clementine in the background.

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
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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Comments

    4.75 from 8 votes (4 ratings without comment)

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  1. Jill

    January 21, 2024 at 8:52 am

    5 stars
    My family loved this recipe! I made it without the fennel and it was amazing, and so easy to make. I added the clementines half way through instead of removing them early and it worked great. My husband can't wait to eat some leftovers for lunch, I am sure it tastes great cold! Also I baked it in a cast iron skillet which made some yummy burnt parts on the chicken.

    Reply
    • Beth Lee

      January 21, 2024 at 9:25 am

      Smart woman, you are! Cast iron is a great idea as is adding the clementines a bit later. So glad this made the 5-star list for your family and thanks for coming by and sharing your experience!

      Reply
  2. Helga

    December 11, 2023 at 1:14 pm

    I love your recipes. Thanks for sharing. I would like to offer some comments on the chicken recipe, after a few trials and errors. Placing the clementines on top of the chicken will prevent the chicken from browning and will have less of the delicious crispiness from the original recipe. I never use a casserole dish, but a rimmed heavy baking sheet as per Yotam's recipe. All ingredients need to be in a single layer for everything to be crispy. If you can't find Arak, then Pernod is an excellent substitute. Wine lacks that anise aroma which is so essential to the dish.

    Reply
    • Beth Lee

      December 12, 2023 at 9:59 am

      Hi Helga, Glad you enjoy my recipes. Thanks for your tips! Funny - the picture in the Jerusalem cookbook does not show the chicken being baked on a sheet tray, but absolutely, the recipe says to do so! I usually end up making more chicken than it calls for and sometimes make it in my extra large roasting pan, though that isn't what you see in the pictures in this post. Agreed that placing and leaving the clementines on the chicken pieces could impede some chicken browning but I love the burnt oranges and often check the chicken and move them aside as needed and my chicken is usually ok too. Re the arak and pernod - absolutely my version misses the anise flavor but I wanted to offer options that more people might find available easily in their liquor/wine cabinet. I've actually become an anise lover as I've gotten older and hope to try this one of these days with arak or pernod. Thanks for sharing your experience Helga!

      Reply
  3. Rosemary Mark

    April 07, 2023 at 12:00 am

    I will definitely make this! (Use caution with glass pans at 475F. They can shatter if above 425F for prolonged time. Happened recently to my daughter; fortunately no injury just a messy oven)

    Reply
    • Beth Lee

      May 09, 2023 at 2:27 pm

      Thanks for the reminder. I've actually adjusted the temperature in the recipe down for several reasons. And placed reminders throughout to choose something other than glass. I love the sizes of my glass pans but since I like to finish with a broil, it's best to choose another option!

      Reply
  4. Ann

    February 18, 2014 at 5:39 am

    I am not a huge anise fan, but after all the rave reviews, I gave this recipe a try, using Sambuca, which is the only anise liquor I had on hand. I'm glad I got over the initial scepticism, because it was out of this world delicious!! I am always looking for new and creative recipes for dinner parties and this will be my next one to "wow" the crowd.

    I even went on a hunt this weekend for Arak and found it easily at a large Liquor Store in Michigan. I can't wait to see how it turns out when I make it using the Arak.

    Another win from Jerusalem!

    Reply
  5. gretchen

    March 16, 2013 at 3:32 pm

    5 stars
    I made this last night - and - yes - it was yummy and universally loved!!!! The fennel and the clementines were so special!!! I will be trying it without vermouth and brown sugar soon as I am starting the Paleo plan......

    5 stars. ;>

    Reply
  6. orly @yumivore

    March 08, 2013 at 4:26 pm

    This one of my favorite dishes from the cookbook so far, and it could be that Arak reminds me of my childhood and my father. But no doubt the chicken is bursting with flavor and wonderful (guilty, I love fennel and the taste of anise). Lovely you got a chance to try the dish!

    Reply
    • Beth Lee

      March 12, 2013 at 1:01 pm

      It is really a showstopper - just so yummy. I could make a pan with just the onions, fennel, and tangerines roasted - OMG!

      Reply
  7. olga

    March 01, 2013 at 4:17 am

    Beth, those clementine's are my favorite thing - they become like candy!! I can't stop eating them. I actually made a 2x batch this week and we're having the second half tonight. Such a great leftover dish too.

    Reply
    • Beth Lee

      March 01, 2013 at 7:04 am

      I also fell in love with the roasted clementines. There was a bit of fennel, onion, clementine leftover and I ate that with my lunch yesterday. I think that alone would make a great side dish. I know what chicken dish I'll be making for my big Rosh Hashanah party - this would be so easy to make ahead! Thanks for the inspiration Olga!

      Reply
  8. Alyssa (Everyday Maven)

    February 28, 2013 at 6:59 pm

    That is such a wonderful cookbook! That chicken is one that I bookmarked b/c it looks so interesting and flavorful!

    Reply
    • Beth Lee

      March 01, 2013 at 7:02 am

      Try it, you'll like it 🙂

      Reply
  9. Sharon Vinick

    February 27, 2013 at 11:04 pm

    I'm planning to make this a for family supper on Sunday evenng. I'll report back.

    Reply
    • Beth Lee

      February 28, 2013 at 9:34 am

      Yes - let me know - I'm wildly in love with the dish but the roasted clementines - I could just eat them all day! In fact, I had some leftover onion, fennel, and clementines yesterday without any more chicken - so delicious to eat that I could imagine making it as a side dish!

      Reply
  10. Stacy

    February 27, 2013 at 8:03 pm

    I, too, have a bottle of vermouth that shouts, "Martini" at me on a regular basis. Mostly, I hum to myself while opening the refrigerator and so, manage to resist. But I love this recipe and your tweaks of it. In fact, so much that I will be making it for dinner tonight. I'll let you know how it goes. Thanks for sharing!

    P.S. Now I have to break down and order the book too. So far I had been resisting that as well.

    Reply
    • Beth Lee

      February 28, 2013 at 9:32 am

      Let me know when you've ordered the book and how the chicken comes out. Can't wait to hear!

      Reply
  11. Lizthechef

    February 27, 2013 at 5:11 pm

    5 stars
    What an exotic roasted chicken - love the addition of clementines.

    Reply
    • Beth Lee

      February 28, 2013 at 9:32 am

      And they are so yummy to eat after roasting, skin and all!

      Reply
  12. Cher

    February 27, 2013 at 3:31 pm

    I love that Vermouth works with this -definitely going to keep this in mind.

    Reply
  13. sandy corman

    February 27, 2013 at 3:30 pm

    looks like I would eat this dish even though I am not a fan of dark meat chicken. However it also means I would have to buy the ingredients, prepare them and then cook it. Cooking is not in my vocabulary these days. However should I get back into the habit again I will certainly try making it.

    Reply
    • Beth Lee

      February 28, 2013 at 9:31 am

      I'll make it for you and use some chicken breasts as well as thighs.

      Reply
  14. Hannah

    February 27, 2013 at 2:49 pm

    Beautiful, Beth! I like your tweaks to this dish and may try them the next time I make this one. I made it with all the arak, fennel and anise seeds and while I love anise flavor, my family is not as big of fans. It's a lovely chicken dish and we were all grabbing for those caramelized clementines!

    Reply
    • Beth Lee

      February 27, 2013 at 3:03 pm

      These changes will make your family happy - I thought the anise flavor was still there but subtle and actually started making me think that in small doses, I might actually like it after all. The fennel is just lovely but the onions, as @sassyradish suggested, are a terrific complement or replacement. I really liked them together.

      Reply
  15. Gretchen

    February 27, 2013 at 2:24 pm

    4 stars
    WOW! ****

    Beth, This is so lovely and combines so many of my favorite foods. I visited my vegetable garden today and see that I have a few fennel bulbs just waiting to be picked. Now, I see a recipe for them! I have clementines on the counter and chicken on my shopping list. Everything else is in my kitchen or in my herb garden. Perfect timing!! Thank you!

    I'll be in Israel soon. What spices shall I plan to bring home? Gretchen

    Reply
    • Beth Lee

      February 27, 2013 at 3:00 pm

      Let me know what you think after you make it! I finished every drop, including a few stray clementines and fennel pieces that remained.

      Gosh - what to bring home - I have pinged Cheryl Sternman Rule to see what she thinks cuz she just got back from a food tour last October. But based on Tasting Jerusalem, I would say, za'atar, sumac, ras el hanout, dukkah, and from a Twitter friend: hawaij (yemenite spice), baharat. mahlab (ground cherry pit) for ka'ak, basil seeds for falooda which is interesting.

      Will write to you with more as they come in.

      Reply
      • Beth Lee

        February 28, 2013 at 9:38 am

        Gretchen - some more spice suggestions: Galilee Mill in Nazareth is one of the best places to buy spices in Israel (from @Foodbridge) Hawayeg (Yemenite spice) for soups & kebabs & such. Dried persian lemons. The best Indian spice shop in Ashdod but might be out of their way. (from @foodwanderings)

        Reply

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Hi, I'm Beth!

I'm a cookbook author, cooking teacher and preserved lemon lover. My family is a mix of Jewish, Hawaiian and Korean heritage. My virtual multicultural kitchen is always open. Let's cook together! 

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