Engagement chicken is a thing. Whole lemons, fresh chopped herbs and a little time in the oven produces magic that transforms into a meal. There's an urban legend surrounding it and I am not sure how true it is, but I'm willing to test it out.

When I first began cooking solo, the only things I was allowed to make were cheese toast (wheat bread from the toaster covered with a slice of American melted in the microwave for 30 seconds), JELL-O, and eggs in a nest.

Fast-forward a tiny bit and my repertoire is a bit more expansive. One thing I think everyone should know how to make is roasted chicken.

I don't care if you're vegetarian or not, it's one of those important life skills you should master--like sewing a button or changing the water bottle.

Chicken from 2012.
I CAN'T BELIEVE I ATE THE WHOLE THING

An editor at Glamour Magazine passed along this recipe and legend says after cooking and consuming this chicken for your significant other, you'll get engaged. I'm not so sure about the legend, but I've made the chicken and it tastes pretty good. The first time I made it, I also ate the entire chicken by myself. You know, just in case.

For the very inexperienced cook, the original recipe seemed to be a little complex (to me). But if you are in man-catching mode, I bet you'd do anything to get him to "like it and put a ring on it".

This is my simpler version of Engagement Chicken. I have made it for a loved one in recent times, but we'll see what happens next.

Engagement Chicken

Yield: 2-4

Author: Nikki Miller-Ka of Nik Snacks

Ingredients

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)

Instructions

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 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.)
Put the chicken in the oven, lower the oven temperature to 350°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 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.
NOTE: Cooking times may vary; roasting a chicken at 350°F takes approximately 18-20 minutes per pound, plus an additional 15 minutes.
Remove roasting pan from oven. Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before carving. Remove chicken from roasting pan to a serving plate. Pour the juices from the roasting pan on top of the sliced chicken. Garnish with fresh herbs and lemon slices.

Notes:

Adapted from Glamour magazine.

Calories

733.89

Fat (grams)

40.95

Sat. Fat (grams)

11.37

Carbs (grams)

5.07

Fiber (grams)

0.64

Net carbs

4.43

Sugar (grams)

1.60

Protein (grams)

82.52

Sodium (milligrams)

3419.03

Cholesterol (grams)

263.12

Please consult a healthcare professional or dietician about nutritional needs for your diet. I am a communications professional, not a physician.

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