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Ina Garten Engagement Roast Chicken

Ina Garten Engagement Roast Chicken recipe

This dish features a whole chicken, seasoned and stuffed with lemon, garlic, thyme, and onion, then roasted until golden and juicy. It’s Ina’s take on a timeless roast chicken, made with minimal ingredients and a foolproof technique. The name comes from its reputation: many people who cook it reportedly receive a marriage proposal shortly afterward!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 (4 to 5-pound) whole chicken, giblets removed

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 lemon, halved

  • 1 whole head of garlic, halved crosswise

  • 1 large yellow onion, thickly sliced

  • 34 sprigs fresh thyme (or rosemary)

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

  • Optional: carrots, potatoes, or parsnips, chopped, for roasting in the pan

Instructions

Step 1: Preheat the Oven

Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Pat the chicken dry with paper towels (very important for crispy skin).

Step 2: Season and Stuff the Chicken

Generously season the inside of the chicken cavity with salt and pepper. Stuff the cavity with lemon halves, halved garlic, thyme sprigs, and a few slices of onion.

Step 3: Tie the Legs and Prepare the Pan

Tie the chicken legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body. Place the remaining onion slices (and vegetables, if using) in the bottom of a roasting pan or oven-safe skillet. Set the chicken on top.

Step 4: Brush and Roast

Brush the outside of the chicken with melted butter and season generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 1 hour 15 minutes, or until the juices run clear when you cut between the leg and thigh and the internal temperature reads 165°F.

Step 5: Rest and Serve

Remove the chicken from the oven, cover loosely with foil, and let rest for 10–15 minutes. Carve and serve with pan juices spooned over the top.