Dancing Lemonade Chicken

Ingredients

Chicken

• 1 tablespoon lemonade powder
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 2 teaspoons hickory-smoked salt
• 1 teaspoon lemon pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon celery seed
• 1 (12 ounce) can lemonade
• 1 (3 1/2 to 4 pound) chicken
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil

Lemonade-Mustard Sauce

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 or 3 shallots, or 1 small onion, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
• 3/4 cup lemonade
• 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 6 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, or more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh lemon zest
• Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Chicken

1. Mix together lemonade powder, brown sugar, paprika, hickory salt, lemon pepper, garlic and onion powders and celery seed in a small bowl.
2. Open the lemonade can, pour out half and reserve for the Lemonade-Mustard Sauce. Make two additional holes in the top of the can.
3. Remove the giblets; remove and discard the fat just inside the body and neck cavities. Rinse the chicken, inside and out, under cold running water and then drain and blot dry with paper towels. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of the rub inside the body cavity and 1/2 teaspoon inside the neck cavity. Drizzle the oil over the outside of the chicken and rub it all over the skin. Sprinkle the outside of the chicken with 1 tablespoon rub mix. Set aside 2 teaspoons of rub for the sauce. Spoon the remaining rub into the lemonade can.
4. Put the can in a shallow roasting pan. Lower the bird over the can so the can fits into the body cavity. Tuck the tips of the wings behind the chicken's back.
5. Roast at 350 degrees F for 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours.
6. Allow chicken to rest five minutes before lifting the chicken off the can.
7. Serve with Lemonade-Mustard Sauce.

Lemonade-Mustard Sauce

1. Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook until just beginning to brown, about 4 minutes.
2. Add the lemonade, raise the heat to high, and boil until reduced to 2 tablespoons (about 5 minutes).
3. Stir in the brown sugar, mustard, lemon juice and lemon zest. Lower the heat to medium and let the sauce simmer until thick, about 5 minutes, whisking occasionally.
4. Taste for seasoning, adding salt, pepper and more lemon juice to taste.
5. Serve with Dancing Lemonade Chicken.