Let's see if it works... Engagement Chicken

Quite some time ago I saw something on TV about how Howard Stern's wife, Beth Ostrosky Stern, had made a recipe she got out of Glamour magazine called "Engagement Chicken."  It was actually quite a funny story because on his show he was ranting and raving about how amazing this meal she made was.  Soon after listener called in and was asking some details about the meal.  She told Howard that the recipe was in an article in Glamour and the recipe was called Engagement Chicken because it's said that whenever a woman makes it for her partner, he ends up proposing.  Long story short, he was pretty much shocked and he called Beth while he was on the air and was all "Engagement Chicken, huh?"

Here's the links for the show:
Part One    and    Part Two

ANYWAY!  I'd been meaning to make it for sometime now...   Not because I want to get engaged (ok, well kinda..   But I'm definitely NOT in a rush) but because it sounds AMAZING!

Here's what you'll need:

• 1 whole chicken (approximately 4 pounds)
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice, plus 3 whole lemons-including 1 sliced for garnish
• 1 tablespoon kosher or coarse sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• Fresh herbs for garnish (4 rosemary sprigs, 4 sage sprigs, 8 thyme sprigs, and 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley)

1.  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.

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.

I didn't have a roasting pan...  I bent an old cooling rack and made my own.  BRILLIANT! :-P

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.)

Heh..  Butts :)

4.  Put the chicken in the oven, lower the oven temperature to 350°F, and roast, uncovered, for 15 minutes.

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°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.

This chicken was acting very unladylike spreading her legs and all.. So I tied 'em together.

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.

I steamed some potatoes with fresh rosemary for a side as well as some asparagus.  Deeeelishus!

I also baked some honey cornbread.  It was really good!  I lined the glass dish with some parchment paper and gave it a light spritz of Pam so it wouldn't stick.  

And here's dinner!  Now let's see if the whole story behind this recipe works.  :-P