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Rachael's Engagement Chicken

Rachael's Engagement Chicken

Ingredients

  • 1 chicken (4 pounds)

  • Kosher salt

  • 1 large onion, cut into wedges

  • Juice of 3 lemons (about ½ cup), plus 4 small ripe whole lemons

  • ½ cup chicken stock

  • 2 bulbs garlic, ends cut to expose garlic cloves

  • EVOO, for liberal drizzling

  • Coarse pepper

  • A few sprigs rosemary

  • 1 cup white wine

  • Wondra superfine flour

  • A small handful of parsley, choppedPreparation

Directions

Salt the chicken inside and out and leave exposed to the air overnight on lowest shelf in the fridge.

Preheat oven to 425˚F. Place a rack inside a medium-sized roasting pan. Arrange the onions, 2 halved lemons and bulbs of garlic under rack, drizzle with EVOO, salt and pepper. Pour the lemon juice and chicken stock inside and over the chicken, season with pepper. Pierce the remaining 2 lemons several times with a fork and stuff the bird with 2 small lemons and herbs. Tie legs together and place breast side down on rack for 15 minutes and turn over, then roast 45 minutes more to deeply golden and crispy and thermometer reads 160˚F.

Arrange onions and lemons on platter. Let chicken stand a few minutes, then untie legs, carve, and arrange on platter with onions and lemons. To pan drippings over medium-high heat, whisk in wine and thicken drippings with a little Wondra to create a light gravy. Paste garlic and whisk into sauce. Spoon or pour sauce over the chicken and garnish with parsley.