How To: Cook an Engagement Chicken

The editors of Glamour magazine have done it again! They have published a book I think all southern ladies should have in their kitchen, “100 Recipes Every Woman Should Know” The book all started with one recipe, Engagement Chicken.  An editor at Glamour gave a recipe for an easy roast chicken to an assistant in the office.  The assistant was in need of a dish to make for her boyfriend.  She cooked the meal and he loved it.  A little while later he proposed to her. J After hearing what a delicious dish the chicken was, three other women in the office prepare it for their boyfriends.  Shortly afterward, all three men proposed to the women.  After hearing the success of this chicken, the Glamour editors published the recipe.  They heard from more than 60 women that they were proposed to shortly after cooking the meal.  So, they decided to publish a book with all kinds of recipes women should know about.  I fell in love with this book as soon as I flipped through the pages.  The recipes range from easy to calls for some work.  The recipes are tag with one shoe for easy and up to three shoes for harder.  Too cute! ;) So far I have only tackled a few recipes in the book, such as, Bring It Anywhere Banana Bread, Super Bowl Guacamole, and Promotion Rib Eye.  I have yet to cook Engagement Chicken for anyone, but I hope to soon! ;)

Engagement Chicken

Roast Chicken with Lemon and Herbs

·         Serves 2 to 4

·         Tagged with two high heels: Requires a little more effort, yet doable on a weeknight.

Ingredients

1.       1 whole chicken (approximately 4 pounds)

2.      ½ cup fresh lemon juice, plus 3 whole lemons-including 1 sliced for garnish

3.      1 tablespoon kosher or coarse sea salt

4.      ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

5.      Fresh herbs for garnish (4 rosemary sprigs, 4 sage sprigs, 8 thyme sprigs, and 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley)

Step 1: Position an oven rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 400^oF. Remove the giblets from the chicken, wash the chicken inside and out with cold water, then let the chicken drain, cavity down, in a colander for 2 minutes.

Step 2: 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 lemon juice all over the chicken, both inside and out. Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper inside and out.

Step 3:  Prick 2 whole lemons three times each in three different places with a fork and place them deep inside the cavity. Chicken cavity size may vary, so if one lemon is partly sticking out, that’s fine. (Tip: If the lemons are stiff, roll them on the countertop with your palm before pricking to get the juices flowing.)

Step 4: Put the chicken in the oven, lower the oven temperature to 350^oF, and roast, uncovered, for 15 minutes.

Step 5: 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 and roast for about 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the meat thermometer reads 180^oF and the juices run clear when the thigh is pricked with a fork. Continue roasting if necessary. Keep in mind that cooking times in different ovens vary; roasting a chicken at 350^oF takes approximately 18-20 minutes per pound, plus an additional 15 minutes.

Step 6: Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before carving. And here’s the secret: Pour the juices from the roasting pan on top of the sliced chicken-this is the “marry me juice.” Garnish with fresh herbs and lemon slices.

Glamour Girl Tip

Carving a bird takes lot of practice, so don’t expect it to be perfect on your first try. The most important thing is to have a sharp knife (preferably one made specifically for carving). Start by slicing the breasts, removing as much meat as possible, and then remove the legs and the wings (using kitchen shears works well too). Don’t worry if it looks messy; it will taste just as good!

I would love to hear success stories from all my southern ladies! ;)