Baked Orange Chicken

This orange chicken recipe is very easy and helps to stretch the grocery dollars if you are inviting friends and family in for Easter dinner. There is no doubt that chicken is much cheaper to serve to a group than the traditional Easter ham. My brother and sister-in-law do chicken barbecue every year for Easter and ask the rest of the family to bring all the side dishes and desserts. This is just one of the many ways to make it as easy as possible on the host family when it comes to important holiday meals. The priority is the gathering of the family, not what is served, so keep it as simple as possible. The chicken is served here with Party Rice and Noodles, recipe posted on 4/11/2014 and Cherry Gelatin Salad, recipe posted on 4/18/2013. Blessings...

Recipe:

2 2-1/2 to 3-pound frying chickens or equivalent pieces
2 eggs
1/3 cup orange juice
1 cup fine dry bread crumbs
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon orange zest (finely shredded peel)
6 tablespoons butter

1. Use a fork to beat together the eggs and orange juice in a bowl.
2. Mix the bread crumbs, salt, paprika and zest in a pie plate.
3. Melt the butter in a 10" x 15" jelly roll pan, or similar large baking pan, in a 400 degree oven. Watch carefully so it doesn't burn. Remove pan from oven.
4. Dip chicken pieces in egg mixture, then in crumb mixture, then turn in butter to coat; arrange skin side down (don't crowd).
5. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Turn chicken and bake for another 30 minutes. Cover with foil the last 10 minutes if the chicken is browning too quickly.

Serves 6-8 depending on appetites.