Whole Roasted Chicken with Citrus and Whole Grain Bread Crumbs

(From The Best Life Diet by Bob Greene)

   My husband is the expert at roasting chickens. One Sunday I decided to surprise him with this but didn’t allow enough time before he had to take our son to a cub scout meeting. Oops. It was worth the wait, though!

A flavorful bread-crumb crust elevates the easy chicken dish from ordinary to extraordinary. 

Serves 4

            1 whole chicken, about 3½ - 4 pounds

            ¾ teaspoon salt

            Freshly ground pepper

            1 orange, zested and cut into 8 wedges, zest reserved

            1 whole lemon, zested and cut into 8 wedges, zest reserved

            ¼ cup whole grain bread crumbs

            3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

            6-8 large cloves garlic, minced

            2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

            2 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. and position a rack in the lower third of oven.

Rinse the chicken in warm water, then dry it, inside and out, with paper towels. Trim any extra fat away from around the cavity, especially from around the tail end.

Sprinkle ½ teaspoon of salt and some pepper on the outside and cavity, and place 4 of the orange and 4 of the lemon wedges inside, squeezing them a little as you put them in.

Fold the wing tips under the body of the chicken. Tie the ends of the drumsticks together with kitchen twine. Place the chicken breast up on a roasting rack in a roasting pan. Roast for 15 minutes, then lower the heat to 375 degrees F. and roast for 15 minutes longer.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, create a paste by combining the orange and lemon zests, bread crumbs, Parmesan, garlic, thyme, and olive oil. Season with remaining ¼ teaspoon of salt and some pepper. Set aside.

Remove the chicken from the oven; let it stand a few minutes to cool slightly. Carefully run a knife under the skin, and pull the skin away from the breast and legs with your fingers. Discard the skin. Squeeze the juice from the remaining orange and lemon pieces over the chicken. Apply the paste by rubbing it into the outside of the chicken. Return to chicken to the oven and roast it for another 45 minutes, basting several times with pan drippings, taking care not to dislodge the crumb paste.

To test for doneness, carefully slice into the joint at the thigh and check if the juices run clear. If not, return to the oven. When done, remove the chicken from the oven, and let it rest on a cooling rack for at least 10 minutes before carving. Discard the wings.

PER SERVING, ABOUT: Calories: 375, Protein: 41 g, Carbohydrate: 11 g, Calcium: 101 mg, Sodium: 663 mg.