Honey and Soy Glazed Roast Chicken with Caramelized Onions

FOR CARAMELIZED ONIONS: Melt butter in heavy 2-quart saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onions. Cover and cook until onions are translucent, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Mix in soy sauce, sugar and black pepper. Increase heat to high and cook until excess moisture evaporates, about 5 minutes.

FOR GLAZE: Combine all ingredients in small bowl. Stir to blend. Set aside.

DO-AHEAD TIP: Onions and glaze can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cool onions. Cover onions and glaze separately. Refrigerate onions; rewarm before serving. Store glaze at room temperature.

FOR CHICKEN: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Mix soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil and salt in small bowl. Rub mixture all over chicken and inside cavity. Place chicken, breast-side up, on rack set in large roasting pan. Add 1 cup water to pan to prevent pan drippings from scorching. Roast chicken 30 minutes. Turn chicken over (back-side up) and roast 30 minutes. Turn chicken over again (breast-side up). Brush with some glaze. Roast until instant-read meat thermometer inserted into innermost part of thigh registers 160 degrees F, basting chicken with glaze every 10 minutes, about 30 minutes longer.

Transfer chicken to platter. Tent with foil; Let stand 10 minutes before carving. Serve chicken with caramelized onions.

CHEF'S TIPS:

• To ensure that all of the heat does not escape from the oven, remove the entire pan from the oven and shut the door while brushing the chicken with the glaze.
• When measuring the honey, coat the measuring cup with nonstick vegetable oil spray so that the honey will slip right out.