Spicy Honey Roasted Chicken

There is something dramatic about the presentation of a whole chicken from the oven. I don't take the time to do it very often, and I really don't know why, because it is quite simple, from a preparation standpoint.

I had read a similar recipe to this one sometime back, but when I went to search for it, I couldn't find it, so I had to make it up. The glaze on this really sealed in the juices of the meat, and the flavor of the skin is amazing-crispy, sweet and spicy. Can't wait for my leftover chicken sandwich for lunch, and sweet and spicy chicken enchiladas later in the week !

I served this with a side of rosemary mashed sweet potatoes. At first, Ray was a bit apprehensive about the amount of rosemary in the potatoes, but they were the perfect accompaniment to the sweet chicken.

Spicy Honey Roasted Chicken

1 whole chicken, rinsed and patted dry
Salt and pepper
1 lemon, cut in half
3 sprigs of rosemary

For the glaze:
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon hot Hungarian paprika
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon garam masala

Preheat oven to 375.Rub chicken inside and out liberally with salt and pepper, and stuff with lemon and rosemary. Brush a coating of glaze over the chicken, and place in roasting pan with a rack. Bake at 375 for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, brushing liberally with glaze every 20 minutes. When internal temperature of meat is 165, remove from oven, cover with foil and let rest for 10 minutes.

Sweet potato recipe to follow.