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Cover - Engagement Chicken

Engagement Chicken

120 mins
1635 cals per serving
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Donal's Notes

Next a cult classic in America: Engagement Chicken. It’s basically a really good roast chicken recipe that did the rounds in the 90’s after a glamour magazine staffer touted it as the reason she got engaged. Many others followed suit and it has done the rounds as the key to taking relationships to the next stage throughout the world. Believe in the hype or not, I have provided a great roast chicken recipe which may seal the deal and if not at least you will have a full belly

Ingredients

whole free-range chicken
whole free-range chicken
lemons
lemons
fresh rosemary
fresh rosemary
unsalted butter
unsalted butter
whole garlic bulb
whole garlic bulb
shallots
shallots
plain flour
plain flour
white wine
white wine
chicken stock
chicken stock
salt
salt
ground black pepper
ground black pepper
milk
milk
single cream
single cream
garlic
garlic
onion
onion
potatoes
potatoes
celeriac
celeriac

Equipment

Mandoline
Mandoline
Chopping board
Chopping board
Chopping knife
Chopping knife
Vegetable peeler
Vegetable peeler
Measuring jug
Measuring jug
Roasting dish
Roasting dish
Sieve
Sieve
Saucepan
Saucepan
Grater
Grater

Method

1

Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/450°F/Gas Mark 5. For the gratin, peel and bash the garlic cloves and thinly slice the onion.

2

Place the milk, cream, bashed garlic cloves and onion into a saucepan and place over a medium heat. Bring to just below boiling point then remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Remove the garlic cloves and discard then strain the milk into a jug, reserving the onions.

3

Peel and thinly slice the celeriac and potatoes.

4

In an ovenproof dish, layer the potatoes, celeriac and onions, seasoning each layer as you go, until you have used up all the ingredients.

5

Pour the milk mixture over the top and set aside.

6

Zest 1 lemon then cut all of the lemons in half and finely chop the leaves from 1 sprig of rosemary. Place into a bowl with the butter, mix and season well with salt and pepper.

7

Peel and cut the  shallots in garlic and half.

8

Next work on the chicken. Place the chicken on a board and snip off any string to un-truss it. Use your hands to loosen the chicken skin away from the breasts on each side of the chicken then push most of the butter mix into the gap you made. Rub the rest of the butter all over the outside of the chicken, season with salt and pepper.

9

In a small roasting dish, add the remaining 2 lemon halves and the shallots. Add the flour and toss together to coat everything. Pour in the wine and chicken stock then place the chicken on top.

10

Stuff the cavity with 2 of the lemon halves, the remaining rosemary springs and the garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Place the chicken and gratin into the oven and cook both for 1 hour and 15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through - to check, insert a skewer into the thigh and if the juices run clear the bird is cooked

11

When cooked the gratin is golden and tender. Rest the chicken and gratin for 5 minutes before serving then carve and serve with the shallot sauce and some steamed greens.

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