Engagement Chicken Recipes

Steps:

• Position an oven rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F. 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.
• 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.
• Prick 2 whole lemons three times in three different places on each 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.)
• Put the chicken in the 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 and roast for about 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the meat thermometer reads 180 degrees F 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°F takes approximately 18-20 minutes per pound, plus an additional 15 minutes for a stuffed chicken that is 4 pounds.
• 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&151;this is the "marry me juice." Garnish with fresh herbs and lemon slices.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Remove and discard the chicken giblets.
• Pat the outside dry. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken.
• Cut the lemons in quarters, place 2 quarters in the chicken along with the garlic and reserve the rest of the lemons.
• Brush the outside of the chicken with olive oil and sprinkle the chicken liberally with salt and pepper.
• Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken.
• Place the chicken in a small (11 by 14-inch) roasting pan. (If the pan is too large, the onions will burn.)
• Place the reserved lemons and the sliced onions in a large bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Pour the mixture around the chicken in the pan.
• Roast the chicken for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and a thigh.
• Remove the chicken to a platter, cover with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 10 minutes while you prepare the sauce, leaving the lemons and onions in the pan.
• Place the pan on top of the stove and turn the heat to medium-high.
• Add the wine and stir with a wooden spoon to scrape up the brown bits. Add the stock and sprinkle on the flour, stirring constantly for a minute, until the sauce thickens.
• Add any juices that collect under the chicken. Carve the chicken onto a platter and serve with the lemons, onions, and warm sauce.

Steps:

• Place rack in upper third of oven and preheat to 400 degrees.
• 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 min) 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 the countertop with your palm to get juices flowing.) Place the chicken breast-side down on a rack in a roasting pan, lower heat to 350 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 180, 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.
• Serve with boiled new potatoes tossed with olive oil and fresh chopped parsley and/or steamed asparagus with butter.
• Enjoy.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees with rack set in upper third.
• Remove giblets from chicken and rinse chicken inside and out with cold water. Set chicken, cavity-side down, in a colander to drain for 2 minutes. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and place breast-side down in a medium roasting pan fitted with a rack; pour lemon juice all over chicken, inside and out. Season chicken, inside and out, with salt and pepper.
• Pierce whole lemons three times with the tines of a fork; place pierced lemons inside cavity. Using kitchen twine, truss chicken to enclose. Transfer roasting pan to oven and reduce temperature to 350 degrees; roast for 15 minutes.
• Remove roasting pan from oven and, using tongs or two wooden spoons, turn chicken breast-side up. Return chicken to oven and cook until a thermometer inserted into the thigh reaches 180 degrees and juices run clear when thigh is pierced with a fork, 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes.
• Let chicken stand 15 minutes before carving. Transfer carved chicken to a serving platter and pour juices from roasting pan over chicken. Garnish with lemon slices and fresh herbs; serve.