Rub the chicken earlier in the day, or overnight, for the best flavor.
Remove giblets from chicken (if included) and trim any excess skin; pat dry.
Tuck the wings under and tie the legs together with kitchen string, if desired.
Combine fennel and onion in a large roasting pan and toss with oil to coat.
Place the chicken, breast-side up, on the vegetables.
Combine pomegranate molasses, honey and pepper in a small bowl.
Transfer half the mixture to a small saucepan and set aside to serve with the chicken.
Roast the chicken and vegetables for 20 minutes.
Turn the chicken over, stir the vegetables and cook for 20 minutes more.
Turn the chicken over one more time (so it is breast-side up) and stir the vegetables again.
Reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees .
Transfer the chicken to a clean cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the pomegranate glaze in the saucepan over low heat.
Remove the string from the chicken, if necessary, and carve the chicken.
Serve with the fennel and onion, drizzled with the warm glaze.
Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds, if desired.
Let stand at room temperature for about 20 minutes before roasting.
Find ground sumac in Middle Eastern markets, specialty food shops and online at penzeys.com.
Or use 2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest in place of the sumac.
To seed a pomegranate, fill a large bowl with water.
The seeds will drop to the bottom of the bowl and the pith will float to the surface.
Pour the seeds into a colander.
Rinse and pat dry.
Seeds can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Note: Pomegranate molasses has a bright, tangy flavor.
(Don’t confuse it with grenadine syrup, which contains little or no pomegranate juice.)
Find it in Middle Eastern markets and some large supermarkets near the vinegar or molasses.
(Do not let the syrup reduce too much or it will darken and become very sticky.)
Makes about 1/2 cup.
Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
- Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient.
