Roast Chicken with Plums and Almonds
How to Make It
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350°.
Step 2
Remove and discard giblets and neck from chicken. Rinse chicken under cold water; pat dry. Trim excess fat. Lift wing tips up and over back; tuck under chicken.
Step 3
Sprinkle chicken with rind, coriander, and pepper. Place chicken on a rack coated with cooking spray; place rack in a shallow roasting pan coated with cooking spray. Combine sherry, broth, juice, honey, and garlic in a small bowl; reserve 1/2 cup sherry mixture for sauce. Insert a meat thermometer into meaty part of thigh, making sure not to touch bone. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes; baste with remaining sherry mixture. Bake an additional 45 minutes, basting every 15 minutes. Add shallots to pan; bake an additional 15 minutes, and baste. Add almonds and plums; bake an additional 15 minutes or until thermometer registers 180°. Place chicken on a platter; place shallots, plums, and almonds around chicken using a slotted spoon. Cover chicken loosely with foil; let stand 10 minutes.
Step 4
Place the roasting pan over a stove-top burner. Add reserved 1/2 cup sherry mixture to pan; bring to a boil over medium heat, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes. Cool slightly. Place a zip-top plastic bag inside a 2-cup glass measure. Pour drippings into bag; let stand 10 minutes (fat will rise to the top). Seal bag; carefully snip off 1 corner of bag. Drain drippings into a bowl, stopping before the fat layer reaches the opening. Discard fat. Remove foil from chicken and discard skin; serve sauce with chicken. Garnish with thyme sprigs, if desired.
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SuperHarpy's Review
One of the dishes which we turn to again and again. We usually omit the coriander and thyme, use almond slivers instead of whole almonds, and double the sauce and then reduce it when the chicken is cooked. We also use a cut-up whole chicken and adjust the cooking time. This is delicious when served with simple french-cut green beans underneath the chicken and sauce, and the dish re-heats brilliantly. Make sure to use firm plums!
Lori22's Review
I do not expect to make this recipe again.
I followed the directions, except that I put the rind/coriander/pepper mixture under the skin instead of sprinkling it over the top. Perhaps that was the problem - perhaps those ingredients should have run into the sauce when I basted.
It didn't taste bad, I just didn't think it was flavorful enough to justify all of the work involved.
excellent roast chicken