Jalapeño Roasted Chicken with Broccolini

I know ham is the traditional protein served on Christmas day, but if you want to switch things up a bit I suggest trying out roasted chicken! It's super moist and delicious, not to mention it is extremely easy to make. This version is a little spicy from the jalapeño (but not too bad since the seeds are removed) and it's paired with deliciously moist roasted broccolini. The pan juices are a perfect sauce to accompany the chicken. Everyone will be fighting over the crispy, blistered parts. They're the best. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

Jalapeno paste:

• 1/2 cup packed fresh oregano leaves or 1/3 cup dried oregano
• 1 shallot, peeled and roughly chopped
• 4 tsp. garlic, minced
• 4 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 jalapeno, stemmed and seeded
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper

Chicken:

• 1 (5 1/2 lb.) roasting chicken
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 2 shallots, coarsely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth, plus more if needed
• 3/4 cup dry white wine
• 2 lbs. baby broccoli (broccolini)
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• Salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Jalapeno paste: In the bowl of a food processor, combine the oregano, shallot, garlic, butter, 2 tbsp. olive oil, the jalapeno, salt and pepper and process to form a coarse paste.

Chicken: Pat the chicken dry and then put it, breast side up, on a rack in a large roasting pan. Using your fingers, loosen the skin from the chicken breast, legs, and thighs without detaching it. Spread half of the jalapeno paste under the skin. Put the rosemary and the shallots in the cavity of the chicken. Tie the chicken legs together with kitchen twine. Spread the remaining jalapeno paste all over the exterior of the chicken. Pour the chicken broth and wine into the roasting pan.

Roast the chicken for 1 hour, basting with the pan juices every 20 minutes, adding more broth to the pan if it begins to dry out.

Remove the roasting pan from the oven. Arrange the baby broccoli snugly around the chicken on the rack. Drizzle the olive oil over the florets and season them with salt and pepper, to taste. Roast the chicken with the baby broccoli, basting occasionally with the pan juices (adding more broth to the pan if necessary), until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the innermost part of the chicken thigh, without touching the bone, registers 160 degrees F, about 30 minutes. Remove the roast chicken from the oven, tent it in foil and let it rest for 15 minutes.

Arrange the chicken on a platter, and surround it with the broccoli. Serve.

Source: Adapted from Food Network