- 2½5kg avg whole chicken
- 75g maple syrup
- 1½ orange
- 3 tbsp tamari
- A thumb of ginger
- A pinch or 2 of dried chilli flakes
- Freshly ground pepper
- Large roasting tin
- 1.
Preheat your oven to 190°C/Fan 170°C/Gas 5. Take the chicken out of the fridge, unwrap it and remove the giblets (you can save them for making stock – see our tip). Pop the chicken in a roasting tin and set it aside for 30 mins-1 hr to come to room temperature.
- 2.
Meanwhile, make the maple and orange glaze. Pour the maple syrup into a small bowl. Grate in the orange zest and squeeze in the juice from half. Pour in 2 tbsp tamari. Peel and grate in the ginger and add a pinch or 2 of dried chilli flakes (dried chilli flakes are SPICY, so add as few or many as you prefer). Stir well to make a marinade.
- 3.
Quarter the remaining orange half and pop it inside the chicken. Spoon half the marinade over the chicken to coat it. You can tie the legs together with kitchen string to keep them neat, or leave them as they are. Loosely cover the chicken with foil, scrunching it onto the sides of the tin. Slide the chicken into the oven and roast for 1 hr.
- 4.
After 1 hr take the chicken out of the oven, remove the foil and brush over the remaining half of the marinade. Slide back into the oven, uncovered, and roast for another 20 mins.
- 5.
Take the chicken out of the oven and check if it’s done by inserting a skewer into the thick part of a thigh. If the juices run clear, it’s ready. If not, slide back into the oven for another 5-15 mins.
- 6.
When the chicken is cooked, take it out of the oven and set it on a warm plate or board, loosely covered with foil, to rest for 20 mins before carving. Serve it in slices, with the juices from the tin spooned over the top.
- Tip
Take stock
A giblet stock is easy to make – just pop the giblets in a large pan with a sliced onion, chopped carrot, celery, a bay leaf and a few sprigs of thyme and parsley. Add 2 ltrs water. Cover, bring to the boil, then simmer for 2 hrs. Strain into a sealable container and store in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. This stock is perfect for adding to soups, risottos and gravies. - Tip
Low waste, no waste
Your leftover chicken carcass can also be used to make a nourishing, versatile stock. Search for How to Make Your Own Stocks on abelandcole.co.uk/recipes for instructions. - Tip
A fresh spin on Sunday roast
Try serving your maple-roast chicken folded into a warm salad with crunchy slivers of onion, sweet carrots and leafy greens like kale, chard or rocket, drizzled in a nutty sesame dressing.