Roast Chicken with Sweet Potato, Oranges and Blue Moon

I spent my Sunday afternoon doing what I find the most relaxing....spent it in my kitchen.  Turned on a good movie, opened the windows and jumped into an afternoon making a Sunday dinner.  As you know from past posts, my favorite thing to make on a Sunday is a roast chicken.  It makes the house smell wonderful, the day feel special and gives you something to build meals from for the rest of the week.  I love a traditional roast chicken with no frills; however, I have done that already this year so it doesn't pass muster with the rules of not repeating a recipe.  I can't decide if I chose this recipe for the preparation, or the name!  

Personally it was a little too orange for me.  The layers of flavor were very good.  I would have liked more rosemary to come through and maybe some garlic to cut the sweet citrus taste.  But, none the less, this was a new recipe that looked appetizing and tasted good, not great, but good.

Roast Chicken with Sweet Potato, Oranges and Blue Moon

printable recipe

1 Roasting Chicken, cleaned and patted dry

Juice from 1 orange

1 Sweet potato, peeled and cut into 2" chunks

1 orange cut into 1/4 inch slices

1 bottle Blue Moon Wheat Beer

2 Sprigs Fresh Rosemary

1/2 onion, chopped

3 T. melted butter

3 T. olive oil

1 T. honey

2 tsp. fresh rosemary, chopped

1 tsp. fresh grated orange zest

Salt & Pepper

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, melted butter and honey.

In a bowl, combine the potatoes, onions, orange slices, 1 tsp. chopped rosemary, 1/2 tsp. orange zest, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper.  

Pour half of the oil and butter mixture over the potato mixture and toss to coat.

With the other half of the oil mixture rub it all over inside and out, on the chicken, along with the remaining diced rosemary, orange zest and salt & pepper to taste. Place the chicken in a roasting pan.

Surround the chicken with the vegetables.

Place 2 orange slices, and the whole rosemary sprigs in the cavity.

Pour the beer and orange juice on the vegetables, but not over the bird as that would wash off the rub.

Place the roasting pan in the oven and cook for approx. 1-1/2 hours, basting the bird with the juices every 20 minutes.

Remove from the oven and allow to rest 15 minutes before carving.