Engagementroastchickenbarefootcontessa Recipes

ENGAGEMENT ROAST CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Remove and discard the chicken giblets. Pat the outside dry. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken. Cut the lemons in quarters, place 2 quarters in the chicken along with the garlic and reserve the rest of the lemons. Brush the outside of the chicken with olive oil and sprinkle the chicken liberally with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken. Place the chicken in a small (11 by 14-inch) roasting pan. (If the pan is too large, the onions will burn.) Place the reserved lemons and the sliced onions in a large bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Pour the mixture around the chicken in the pan.
• Roast the chicken for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and a thigh. Remove the chicken to a platter, cover with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 10 minutes while you prepare the sauce, leaving the lemons and onions in the pan.
• Place the pan on top of the stove and turn the heat to medium-high. Add the wine and stir with a wooden spoon to scrape up the brown bits. Add the stock and sprinkle on the flour, stirring constantly for a minute, until the sauce thickens. Add any juices that collect under the chicken. Carve the chicken onto a platter and serve with the lemons, onions, and warm sauce.

ENGAGEMENT CHICKEN

Steps:

• Place rack in upper third of oven and preheat to 400 degrees.
• 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.
• Pour lemon juice all over the chicken (inside and outside) season with salt and pepper.
• Prick the whole lemons three times with a fork and place deep inside the cavity.
• (Tip: If lemons are hard, roll on the countertop with your palm to get juices flowing.) Place the chicken breast-side down on a rack in a roasting pan, lower heat to 350 and bake uncovered for 15 minutes.
• Remove from oven and turn it breast-side up (use wooden spoons!); return it to oven for 35 minutes more.
• 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.
• Continue baking if necessary.
• Let chicken cool for a few minutes before carving.
• Serve with juices.
• Serve with boiled new potatoes tossed with olive oil and fresh chopped parsley and/or steamed asparagus with butter.
• Enjoy.

GARLIC ROAST CHICKEN (BAREFOOT CONTESSA)

Steps:

• As soon as you get the chicken home, salt it inside and out, wrap it and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
• When you are ready to cook the chicken, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Pat the outside of the chicken dry with paper towels. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken and stuff the cavity with the all the garlic and lemon.
• Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken. Place it in a roasting pan just large enough to hold it and the vegetables.
• Scatter the onion slices, carrots and potatoes around the chicken. Brush the outside of the chicken with the butter, pour all remaining butter over vegetables and sprinkle everything with salt and pepper.
• Roast the chicken for 1 1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh. Baste chicken and vegetables with juices a couple times during cooking. (Our 5 1/2 lb chicken needed 1 hr 20 mins.).
• Remove the chicken, place on cutting board, and cover with aluminum foil. Place the vegetables back in the oven and continue cooking for an additional 15 minutes.
• When the vegetables are cooked, carve the chicken and place the slices on a platter surrounded by the vegetables. Drizzle some pan juices over the chicken and vegetables.