A Special Chicken

Friday night I roasted a chicken.

It wasn't any old chicken. It was an Empire kosher chicken from Wegman's. My little 3.22 pound chicken passed strict Jewish dietary laws, he was free ranging and he ate corn, soy grains, natural vitamins, minerals and fat - not hormones. This little guy went through a salting process, which is required for the kosher process, so he hardly needed any more salt.

But the main reason why this chicken was special is because I prepared it according to the Engagement Chicken standards. This recipe is supposed to make a chicken so moist and delicious that when you prepare it for your boyfriend, he'll realize he can't bear the thought of living his life without a woman who can cook such an amazing chicken. And it turns out Adam agrees! He loved the chicken (except for the fact that it took too long to cook when we were both very hungry). Of course, I'll keep you post on when I get that sparkly!

Such a simple recipe from Glamour magazine (I adapted it a bit). I will be making it again for sure.

1 whole chicken (approx. 3 lbs)
2 medium lemons
1/2 cup lemon juice
Kosher or sea salt (I used sea salt)
Ground black pepper

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 minutes). Pat dry with paper towels. Pour lemon juice all over the chicken (inside and out). Season with salt and pepper. Prick the whole lemons all over with a fork and stuff them deep inside the cavity of the chicken (I used 1 1/2 lemons because my lemons were big). Place the bird breast side down on a rack in a roasting pan and bake uncovered for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and turn chicken breast side up; return to oven and bake for 70 more minutes. Test for doneness - a meat thermometer inserted in the thigh should read 180 degrees - juices should run clear.

More info from the Empire website about what kosher means:

"It has been said that keeping kosher is as much a diet for the soul as for the body. Because every Jew has a soul which is eternal and holy, if forbidden foods are eaten, that holiness is affected. This in turn lessens the ability to absorb all the spiritual rewards of Torah. This is why Jews have followed strict dietary laws throughout the generations, passing this way of life on to their children".

Note: I am not Jewish but simply interested in lifestyles other than my own.