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Engagement Chicken

Cindi Leive, Former Glamour magazine editor
Servings 0

Ingredients
  

  • 1 whole chicken, about 4 lbs
  • 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 2 whole lemons
  • 1 sliced lemon, for garnish
  • 1 TBL kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • assorted herbs for garnish like rosemary, parsley and thyme.

Instructions
 

  • Position an oven rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Remove the giblets from the cavity of the chicken, rinse the chicken inside and out with cold water. Let the chicken drain cavity down, in a collander for 2 minutes.
  • Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Place the chicken breast side down in a medium roasting pan fitted with a rack and pour the juice all over the chicken, inside and out. Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper inside and out.
  • Prick two whole lemons three times each in three different places with a fork and place them inside the cavity. Chicken cavity may vary in size, so if one lemon is partly sticking out, that's fine. Tip: if lemons are hard and stiff roll them with the palm of your hand on the countertop before pricking to the juices flowing.
  • Put the chicken in the preheated oven, lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F, and roast uncovered for 15 minutes.
  • Remove the roasting pan from the oven. Using tongs or two wooden spoons, turn the chicken breast side up. Insert a meat thermometer in the thigh, and return the chicken to the oven roast for about an hour to an hour and 15 minutes (checking at the one hour mark), or until the juices run clear and the meat thermometer reads 180 F. Note: roasting a chicken at 350 F takes approximately 18-20 minutes per pound, plus an additional 15 minutes.
  • Let the chicken rest covered with foil for 10 minutes before carving. Here's the secret - pour the juices from the roasting pan on top of the sliced chicken - this is the "marry me" juice. Place chicken on a large platter, and garnish with herbs and lemon slices.
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