You’ve probably heard by now that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s engagement has officially been announced. Even though they're royalty, Prince Harry decided to keep the event low key by proposing to Meghan over a simple dinner of roasted chicken.
Whether you’re happy for the new couple or sad to see the single prince officially off the market, you can recreate the magical moment of the royal engagement in your own kitchen. To celebrate the happy couple, Executive Chef Matthew Kajdan of The Westin Jackson shares his famous Whole Roasted Chicken recipe to help others propose like a royal, or just pretend they were there for the engagement.
Whole Roasted Chicken
1 (3.5 pound) chicken
1 large carrot, medium diced
2 large vidalia onion, medium diced
2 stalk celery, medium diced
1 large vidalia onion, sliced
1 pound heirloom carrots, washed
2 pounds fingerling potato
1 pounds unsalted butter, softened
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2-3 sprigs of savory herbs
1 lemon, juiced
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Melt one tablespoon of the butter in a skillet. Add the diced carrots, onion, and celery and cook over moderate heat until softened. Stir in the herbs.
Wash the chicken rapidly inside and out with hot water and pat thoroughly dry. Pull the neck skin up over the breast and secure it to the back with a toothpick. Salt and pepper the cavity and spoon in the cooked vegetables. Massage the chicken all over with half pound of butter, then truss it. Alternatively, tie the ends of the drumsticks together and tuck the wings under the body.
Choose a roasting pan that is about 1 inch larger than the chicken. Salt the chicken all over and set it breast up on a rack in the pan.
Roast the chicken in the oven for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, as follows:
At 15 minutes, brush the chicken with the remaining half pound of butter. Scatter the sliced onion, carrots and potatoes all around. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
At 45 minutes, brush the lemon juice over the chicken. If necessary, add half a cup of water to the vegetables to prevent burning.
At 60 minutes, baste with the pan juices.
Test for doneness: The drumsticks should move easily in their sockets; their flesh should feel somewhat soft. If not, continue roasting, basting and testing every 7 to 8 minutes, until instant-read thermometer registers 165 degrees F.