If I don't have access to Arak, what can I use to substitute?
If you don't have access to the middle eastern liqueur you can substitute with Ouzo or Pernod. If you can't find any of these liqueurs you could always add minced fennel to the marinade, which should do the trick.
Do I need to use clementines specifically or will any orange work?
This recipe doesn't require any specific oranges to be fantastic. I used Cara Cara oranges in the video below. You could also use Navel oranges too. If you only have access to premade orange juice, that will work as well!
If you love this recipe be sure to check out these other amazing recipes on my blog:
Recipe Video:
Clementine Chicken
Ingredients
- 6½ tablespoons Arak or Ouzo or Pernod
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange or clementine juice
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons grainy mustard
- 2 tablespoons honey
- kosher salt & pepper to taste
- 8 bone-in skin-on chicken pieces
- 4 oranges (or clementines) unpeeled, sliced thin
- 2 sprigs of thyme
- 3 medium onions cut lengthwise and then into quarters
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400º F.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together arak, oil, orange and lemon juices, mustard and honey. Salt and pepper to taste and set aside.
- Line the bottom of a roasting pan with orange/clementine slices. Place the chicken on top and nestle in onions, thyme sprigs and more clementine slices all around the chicken. Be sure not to cover too much of the top of the chicken as you want the skin to get nice and crispy from the heat. Optional to salt and pepper chicken to taste.
- Pour the sauce mixture over the chicken in the roasting pan evenly.
- OPTIONAL: You can marinate the chicken with orange/clementine slices in advance by adding thyme sprigs, onion pieces, and marinade and in a large mixing bowl or ziplock bag. Marinate chicken for several hours or overnight.
- Place in oven and check on it in 30 minutes. If the skin is browning too quickly, turn the oven down to 350º F and continue roasting until the skin is brown and crisp, 20 to 25 minutes longer. I roast the chicken at 400º F for 1 hour and at but every oven is different, so just keep an eye on it.
- After chicken is done cooking all the way through, remove pan from oven and let cool for about 10 minutes before serving.
Mcgar says
Not boring! perfect!
justincoit says
I’m so happy to hear that you like this recipe!
Francesca says
Is the first ingredient in this recipe necessary, the Arak or Ouzo or Pernod? Don’t have it on hand!
Fran says
Sorry this is for the clementine chicken that I asked about the Arak or Ouzo or Pernod and if it’s a necessary ingredient as I don’t have it on hand right now.
justincoit says
If you can’t find it don’t worry! You can substitute by adding a 1/2 cup of sliced fennel and mixing it with the onions around the chicken. If you can’t find fennel then skip altogether. It’s a delicious dish regardless.
Jess says
Had a hard time following the wording of this recipe. Honey was left out of the first part of the directions, so I missed it 🙁 And then it said OPTIONAL for the marinating step, so when I skipped that, the next step didn't make any sense. Since I wasn't marinating, I assumed I should put everything in the bowl and toss it together before laying it in the pan, but it didn't say to. I also think it would have been good to season the chicken parts on their own first with salt and pepper.
justincoit says
Hi- sorry about the confusion. Take a look at the revised recipe above and let me know if that answers your questions. Thanks
Violette says
If we choose to marinate the chicken all-night, do we have to additionally put the marinade while it cooks in the oven the day after ?
justincoit says
Yes, just dump all of the marinated chicken pieces and and left over marinade in the baking dish. Let me know how it comes out! 🙂
Violette says
I will ! Thank you !
Tylor Johnson says
Can you use chicken that is not bone in?
justincoit says
Yes you can. The cooking time will most likely be a little shorter so just keep an eye on it.
Stefanie says
This is yet another great recipe from Ottolenghi and Tamimi, with slight modifications. It's a banger! Please credit them.
justincoit says
Added. Thanks!