Caribbean Roast Chicken

A whole chicken marinated in Guyanese green seasoning and fresh orange juice, then roasted until the skin is golden and the meat is juicy and falling off the bone. Perfect for Sunday dinner or the holiday table.

Course Chicken Main Dish

Cuisine Caribbean

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1

Marinating Time 2

Total Time 3 15

Servings Servings

Calories 376kcal

Author Althea Brown

Equipment

Food Processor
Cast Iron Skillet 12 inch round
Roasting pan

Ingredients

1 whole chicken 5–6 lbs
2 navel oranges (1 juiced, about ¼ cup; 1 sliced into rounds)
3 tbsp green seasoning (homemade is best, store-bought works in a pinch)
3 tbsp oil
2 tbsp coconut aminos (or soy sauce)
1 tsp spicy brown mustard
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp coarse kosher salt
¼ tsp black pepper

Instructions

Optional: clean the chicken (see notes), then pat it dry. To spatchcock it, set it breast-side down, cut along the backbone with kitchen shears, then flip it and press firmly on the breastbone to flatten it. Or leave it whole (see notes).
In a bowl, mix the orange juice, mustard, green seasoning, oil, coconut aminos, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, oregano, salt and pepper.
Rub the marinade all over the chicken, inside and out, and under the skin where you can.
Cover and marinate in the fridge overnight for the best flavor (at least 2 hours, up to 2 days).
Take the chicken out of the fridge 1 hour before roasting. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
Lay the orange rounds in a 12-inch cast iron skillet or roasting pan and set the chicken on top, skin-side up.
Roast uncovered for 20 minutes. Then lower the oven to 375°F and roast for about 40 minutes more, until the thickest part of the thigh reads 165°F. No thermometer? It’s done when the skin pulls back from the ends of the drumsticks, the juices run clear when you pierce the thigh, and the leg wiggles loosely. If the breast is deep golden before it’s done, tent it loosely with foil.
Rest 15 minutes, then spoon the pan juices over and carve.

Notes

Optional cleaning: washing the chicken with lemon juice or white vinegar is how many Caribbean cooks start. Rub about ¼ cup inside and out, let it sit 5 minutes in a bowl in the sink, then rinse well and pat dry. Clean the sink and counters well afterward. Skipping it is fine too; do what works for you. Either way, you don’t need to add any liquid to the pan.
Marinating: overnight gives the best results. Keep it to 2 days at most.
Roast it whole: use the same seasoning. Roast 20 minutes at 450°F, then about 55 minutes at 375°F (about 1¼ hours total). Tent only the breast, loosely, once it’s deep golden. Don’t cover the whole chicken, or the back steams instead of roasting.
Roasting two: spatchcock both and roast them side by side on a rimmed full sheet pan.
Shortcut: if you’re shopping for this recipe, one jar of all-purpose seasoning saves buying four spices. Swap the onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, oregano, salt and pepper for 2 tbsp all-purpose seasoning plus 1 tsp coarse kosher salt (the blend already has salt). In my side-by-side test, both chickens tasted the same.
Salt: using soy sauce instead of coconut aminos? It’s saltier, so cut the salt to 1 tsp.
Guyanese-style: add a little cassareep and 1 tablespoon brown sugar to the marinade for color and flavor. Other islands use browning, or soy sauce and sugar.
Pink near the bone: this is normal, even when the chicken is fully cooked. If your family doesn’t like any pink, roast until the thigh reads 175°F.
Crispy underside: once it’s done, flip the chicken breast-side down, raise the oven to 450°F and roast 20 minutes more, until the back is crisp. My husband loves the back, so I always do this for him (and my kids fight over the skin).
Storage: fridge up to 4 days, freezer up to 3 months.

Nutrition