The title and recipe intrigued me so much I have to make it. A fashion editor gave this recipe to her assistant who made the chicken for her boyfriend, who a month later, asked her to marry him. How is that for a recipe. to make story short the assistant gave the recipe to others similar to chain letter but with beautiful result. When the fashion editor heard about her recipe she called it engagement roast chicken.
If you have not roast a chicken which is my favorite you need to know how to prepare before roasting.
Remove giblets, these are the neck, gizzard, heart and liver, usually packed in small paper bag inside the chicken cavity. Wash chicken inside and outside, then take a paper towel pat the chicken cavity and outside.
Before roasting, use your fingers to remove the fatty flaps under the skin near the cavity (so there is less fat to trim later)
Tuck the wing tips under the chicken to secure tips and prevent them from burning and to help steady the bird.
Bring the legs together and tie with kitchen string or in a pinch, heavy duty thread. to secure. This help the chicken brown evenly.
If using a standard meat thermometer, insert point into thickest part of thigh, next to body (be sure point touches meat, not bone) If using an instant read thermometer, start
testing after 10 minutes of toasting, placing thermometer point in thickest part of thigh. Because instant read thermometer is not oven safe, remove it if chicken needs to roast longer.
Coming back to the story of the engagement roast chicken, this is truly a delicious meal. I made it many times over, still do, easy to make. Try the recipe, give it to a friend and who knows……………..wedding bells in the horizon.
1 whole chicken (approx.3 pounds)
2 medium Lemons
Fresh Lemon juice (1/2 cup)
Kosher of sea salt
Ground black pepper
Place rack in upper third of oven and preheat to 400F. Wash chicken inside and out with cold water, remove the giblets, then let the chicken drain, cavity down, in a colander until it reaches room temperature (about 15 minutes).
Pat dry with paper towels. Pour lemon juice all over the chicken (inside and outside). Season with salt and pepper. Prick the whole lemons three times with a fork and place deep inside the cavity. (tip: If lemons are hard, roll on countertop with your palm to get juices flowing.)
Place the bird breast-side down on rack in a roasting pan, lower heat to 350F and bake uncovered for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and turn it breast-side up (use wooden spoons!); return it to oven for 35 minutes more.
Test for doneness, a meat thermometer inserted in the thigh should read 180F, or juices should run clear when chicken is pricked with a fork. continue baking if necessary. Let chicken cool for a few minutes before carving. Serve with juices.
Keep it simple. I served the roast chicken with steamed new potatoes, toss with fresh parsley from my herb garden. Boiled green beans, sliced carrots and steamed asparagus, cut tough ends, mix the vegetables then top with butter. Delicious.
If you want to serve with a glass of wine, Gallo of Sonoma is a good choice, smooth with a touch of citrus or your favorite wine.
Bon Appetit
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