Skip Nav

Engagement Chicken Recipe | Video

Woo Your Valentine With an Engagement-Worthy Chicken

Could a chicken dinner take your relationship to the next level? Glamour magazine argues that it can; its legendary recipe for "engagement chicken" has led to hundreds of marriage proposals. Even if you're not looking to get hitched, it makes a perfectly easy and comforting meal. Watch our video to learn about this chicken's storied history — and, of course, how to make it.

Engagement Chicken

From Glamour

Engagement Chicken

Ingredients

  1. 1 whole chicken (approximately 4 pounds)
    1/2 cup fresh lemon juice, plus 3 whole lemons, including 1 thinly 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)

Directions

  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, and 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.
  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. (If the lemons are stiff, roll them on the countertop with your palm before pricking to get the juices flowing.)
  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. Roast for about 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the thigh meat is 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 to 20 minutes per pound, plus an additional 15 minutes.
  6. Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before carving. Pour the juices from the roasting pan on top of the sliced chicken. Garnish with fresh herbs and lemon slices.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Studios
Latest Recipes, Menus, Food & Wine