recipe of the week: engagement chicken

i know - i'm already married. but believe me, when my husband laid his taste buds on this he definitely would have proposed all over again. it was seriously soooo yummy! wait for whole chicken to go on sale at your local grocer and buy one. mmmm....

just google it - the recipes are pretty much all the same. this one is from recipezaar.com.

engagement chicken
(i used a 5 lb chicken and adjusted ingredients and cook time accordingly)

3 lbs whole chicken
2 medium lemons
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (i used part fresh part real lemon)
sea salt (to taste)
ground black pepper (to taste)
optional: i also added 6 cloves of garlic to the inside of the chicken

1. place rack in upper third of oven and preheat to 400 degrees.
2. 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.
3. pour lemon juice all over the chicken (inside and outside) season with salt and pepper.
4. prick the whole lemons three times with a fork and place deep inside the cavity (i cut them 1/2 way through). (tip: if lemons are hard, roll on the countertop with your palm to get juices flowing.)
5. place the chicken breast-side down on a rack in a roasting pan, lower heat to 350 and bake uncovered for 15 minutes.
6. remove from oven and turn it breast-side up (use wooden spoons!); return it to oven for 35 minutes more. (i reversed these - i cooked it breast-up for 20ish and then breast-down for the remainder.)
   
7. 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.
8. continue baking if necessary.
9. let chicken cool for a few minutes before carving.
10. serve with juices.
11. serve with boiled new potatoes tossed with olive oil and fresh chopped parsley and/or steamed asparagus with butter.
12. enjoy.