To make the chicken, you’ll need:1 whole chicken, around 4 pounds
½ cup fresh lemon juice
3 whole lemons
1 tablespoon kosher or coarse sea salt
½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
Fresh herbs for garnish: good ones are rosemary, sage, thyme
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Remove any giblets from the chicken, and wash inside and out with cold water. Let chicken drain, cavity down, for 2 minutes. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels.
Set the chicken breast-side down on a roasting rack in a medium sized roaster.
Pour lemon juice over the chicken, covering the entire surface, and letting juice run into the cavity.
Rub salt and pepper over the chicken, and sprinkle a bit inside.
Roll two of the whole lemons on the countertop to soften them, then use a fork or knife to prick several holes in them. Push the lemons inside the cavity. It’s okay if one sticks out a little bit.
Put the chicken in the oven, and lower the temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Set a timer for 15 minutes.
Remove the pan from the oven, and turn the chicken over so the breast is facing up. Insert a meat thermometer in the thigh, and return to the oven.
Cook until the meat thermometer reads 180 degrees Fahrenheit, and juices run clear when the thigh is pricked with a fork. Cooking time can take anywhere from 1 hour to 1-1/2 hours.
Let the cooked chicken rest for 10 minutes before carving. Once carved, pour juices from the pan over the chicken slices.
Garnish with fresh herbs, and the remaining sliced lemon.
Source: http://www.idealhomegarden.com/recipes/engagement-chicken-recipe/
