It’s not my husband’s fault he can’t find his way around the kitchen. He grew up with a mother who is a very willing and capable cook. She made hot breakfasts every morning and power lunches for school. Each night she lovingly prepared a fresh, well-balanced dinner. Then I came along. I met my husband in college when I was 18 and I already loved cooking for people. I remember sophomore year my husband and his roommates fasted for Yom Kippur, as in they didn’t eat for 24 hours. Who doesn’t love cooking for people who are ravenous?? We dated and I cooked. We married and I cooked. We had kids and I cooked a lot, and I was happy to do it.
I had two unusual days in a row last week where I had to work past dinner time. I verbally clued my husband in to all the dinner possibilities using staples from the pantry and the fridge. There was pesto, poached chicken meat, enough leftover soup for two, cooked brown rice, washed salad greens and vinaigrette in a jar. With pasta and a can of beans in the pantry, I was sure he could come up with something. Or so I thought.
I came home from a long day last Monday night and there it was on the kitchen counter — the take-out pizza box. Sigh. I don’t know what I was thinking that I could expect the poor guy to throw something together after a hard day of work that he and the three kiddos would want to eat. I’m sure no one suffered eating pizza that night, but what would he do the next day?? I knew I needed to plan for an easy dinner that everyone would like and that my husband could handle — orange and rosemary-glazed chicken. This is one of the simplest things you can make and so delicious. This chicken has saved my life on busy weeknights and has delighted dinner guests alike. Just marinate the chicken in a few ingredients ahead of time and pour everything into a casserole dish and bake.
I use all-fruit orange or kumquat preserves in the marinade, but I have used apricot, too. Just make sure it’s all fruit without the addition of any sugar. The preserves will be sweet enough. I love rosemary with orange and with chicken, and I happen to have an out-of-control rosemary bush on my front lawn so I never have enough uses for it. If you don’t have rosemary, thyme works well here, too. The best part of this dish is the yummy, glaze-y sauce which we spoon over the chicken on the plate, but doesn’t get wasted if you serve this with something like rice or millet to sop it up. With some steamed or roasted asparagus or sauteed spinach, someone looks like he knows a little something about something. My hero.
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Orange and Rosemary Glazed Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 ½ - 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces* (breasts cut in half), seasoned with 1 ½ teaspoons sea salt or kosher salt as soon as you get home from the market
- 8 ounces all-fruit orange, kumquat, apricot or peach marmalade, about ¾ cup (such as St. Dalfour or Sorrell Ridge)
- 1 ½ Tablespoons whole grain or stone-ground mustard
- 2 Tablespoons shoyu or wheat-free tamari, or coconut aminos
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (or plant butter)
- 2 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary, or fresh thyme leaves
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Combine orange marmalade, mustard, shoyu, melted butter, rosemary, and pepper in a glass or nonreactive container that is just big enough to hold the chicken. Add the chicken to the marinade and coat each piece well. Cover and refrigerate for 6-8 hours, or longer if that’s more convenient.
- Remove chicken from the refrigerator and preheat the oven to 400 degrees. If you’re not in a rush, allow the chicken to sit out at room temperature for 30 minutes. Transfer the chicken pieces and any marinade to a baking dish, such as a 13 x 9 - inch. Bake for 45 minutes or until cooked through and browned on top. Remove from the oven and allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving, if possible.
Notes
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
Assuming this should be baked uncovered?
Correct! That way the sauce reduces and the chicken gets nice and browned. Hope you enjoy it!
I made it for the third time last night. It just gets better every time! And the best part… it’s sooo easy. This is definitely in the regular rotation to stay. It makes me want to try it with different marinades so I could serve it even more often. ha! Having a toddler and working full time, I’m always on the lookout for super easy/make ahead meals.
Kelly, I’m with you on the easy/do-ahead! This recipe is one of my regulars. I have made it with thyme instead of rosemary and various, but similar, preserves such as apricot and peach. For me the best part is that everyone in my family loves this!
Hi – quick question…will this work without the skin and bones on the chicken? We are not a family that ‘deals well’ with the skin and bones…would prefer simple breasts bought from the store.
Thanks! Dying to make this if it can be modified.
Funny. Yes, you can use boneless, skinless if you prefer. You don’t have to salt the chicken as early. Just season it before you add the marinade. And you can likely get away with marinating it for less time. Bake the chicken and marinade at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes, and then broil it about 4-5 inches from the heat until you have some golden brown spots and a little more of a glaze.
Thank you! Am going to try this one soon.
Oh my gosh, this is absolutely delish! My husband commented on how tender the chicken is. This dish will definitely be a staple in my house! I paired it with green beans with almonds and baked sweet potato slices with honey, lemon and extra virgin olive oil! Colorful and sooooo very tasty! BTW, I baked 2 chickens, one with kumquat and one with orange marmalade. I am surprised that I prefer the more tangy marmalade, the orange. After baking it’s not as tangy but not as mild as the kumquat. It’s perfect!
Sounds like an amazing meal, Cheryl. Great job! I love the kumquat vs. orange marmalade comparison — that’s so something I would do!
Any suggestions for a substitute for tamari? I don’t do soy.
Thanks,
Cathie
Sure! Have you ever tried Coconut Aminos by Coconut Secret? It’s a great substitute for shoyu, tamari or Braggs and it’s gluten-free to boot. Check it out here: http://www.coconutsecret.com/aminos2.html
I found mine at my local Whole Foods.
Wow! Thank you! I’ll try it.
Soooo easy and soooo tasty!!! Awesome quick recipe for any night of the week. I had thyme in the fridge and no rosemary, so i used thyme.
I love this recipe, I made it twice
Everyone loved it!!
So nice to hear!
Great Friday night Shabbat meal!!! Thanks for sharing!
So true! Thanks, Caryn.
Sounds delicious and easy. I’m going to try it this week.
You’ll love it!
Family Favorite!! This is also delicious with Mark & Stephen’s Meyer Lemon Ginger Marmalade. Super easy.
I always love hearing how people adapt recipes! I am assuming anyone can find Mark & Stephens at Grow in Manhattan Beach….
Another yummy thing to try. Thank you!