I’m a huge fan of honey. And this recipe was posted by some online wine friends currently on an extended tour of Australia. Not only am I thoroughly jealous of their travels, but they also had the chance to don bee suits and inspect the world’s last genetically pure strain of bees. Pair this dish with some nice vegetables sautéed with sliced garlic and it makes an easy mid-week meal.
A Chardonnay works well with this dish, particularly if the oak is moderate and the acidity is good, because it bridges across to the orange-and-honey glaze, the salt of the chicken and the vegetables, and, well, everything. If your palate leans towards wines with a bit of sweetness, try a dry muscat or Riesling. I think Viognier would work quite well, though look for one with alcohol below 14.5% if it's to work well with this bright dish.
Ingredients * Whole chicken, cut into 10 pieces * Juice of one orange * 2 Tbsp honey * 2 Tbsp Soy SauceProcedure
Pre-heat oven to 400℉. Stir together the orange juice, honey and soy until the honey is dissolved. Wash and thoroughly dry the chicken (some chefs recommend letting the skin dry out for a day in the refrigerator).
Baste both sides with the honey liquid. Place a rack inside a roasting pan, chicken on the rack (not touching, if possible and roast for ~50 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 185℉.
This next step is a royal pain in the patootie, but if you can baste the chicken pieces with the pan drippings every 5-10 minutes, you’ll be thrilled with the crispy skin that it creates. Make sure the skin doesn’t burn – the sugars in the honey make it easy to do!
Cheers, Dave the Wine Merchant 866-746-7293