This simple recipe, originally called Roast Chicken with Lemons, was originally published in a cookbook called Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan. It later appeared in Glamour Magazine after fashion editor and foodie Kimberly Bonnell and her staffers prepared it for their boyfriends, who soon thereafter each popped the magic question and became husbands.
As the legend goes, this chicken is so succulent and satisfying it will bring any man to his knees and have him begging for your hand. Since appearing in Glamour, the magazine has received countless letters from those who say the recipe worked for them. Though this recipe was intended to be a secret weapon recipe for those of us who were hoping to get him to propose, it has certainly made its rounds on the internet. Try googling engagement chicken and 2.7 million search results with the recipe and success stories will come up. Glamour reader Laura Wheeler supposedly made this recipe for her boyfriend and it got him to pop the question. Radio personality Howard Stern even is said to have popped the question to his girlfriend shortly after she made this chicken.
While I had my doubts about the recipe and the myth, it was obvious to me why this chicken would put marriage on a man’s mind. The prepared platter looks like something out of a 1950s sitcom. Imagine Donna Reed in a flawless dress, high kitten heels and apron, red lipstick applied and hair perfectly coiffed. She greets her husband at the door with the kind of kiss that only happens in the movies, complete with a slight head tilt and leg gently lifting off of the ground. What awaits her king after his hard day of work is the dinner she slaved over all day just for him: a perfectly roasted whole lemon chicken on a porcelain platter. Who wouldn’t want to come home to someone like that? Put this image into any man’s mind and he’ll propose.
So, I decided to give it a whirl for some of my dearest friends and family members yearning to test the myth, whose dreams of princess cut diamonds and fairytale fantasy weddings have been becoming more and more frequent. And while I can’t say this chicken has worked for me (if I did, it would be called “Miracle Chicken”) if the way to a man’s heart is truly through his stomach then it couldn’t hurt for me to give it a try.
I will admit that the finished product almost resembled a rotisserie chicken that one can easily buy at Sam’s Club or their local grocery store to substitute for a real engagement chicken. But by making the chicken from scratch yourself, you not only have the power control your ingredients, you also have the power to control your fate.
Engagement Chicken
1 whole chicken (approx. 3 lb.)
2 medium lemons
Fresh lemon juice (1/2 cup)
Kosher or sea salt
Ground black pepper
Pour lemon juice all over the chicken (inside and outside). Season with salt and pepper. Prick the whole lemons three times with a fork and place deep inside the cavity. (Tip: If lemons are hard, roll on counter-top with your palm to get juices flowing.) 
As a personal touch, try adding vegetables to the dish. I had red skinned and Yukon gold potatoes at home, so I cut them up along with celery and carrots. I seasoned them with salt and pepper and tossed them with a few tablespoons of olive oil before I added them to the pan. Green beans and roasted red potatoes would also work nicely, as does asparagus.
Another technique, commonly used by my Grandpa Augello (a fantastic classic Italian chef and the best in my opinion) is to toss your vegetables in tomato sauce and coat the bottom of the roasting pan with the sauce before you make the chicken.
If you want a simple dessert to accompany your engagement chicken, serve some chocolate covered strawberries.
If you’re looking for romance, a little effort may go a long way. Chicken is not associated with aphrodisiac qualities, so you’ll have to improvise and add some other little seductive touches.
Don’t forget forget to serve the chicken on an attractive serving platter. As explained above, this may help to conjure up images of being the perfect wife in your man’s mind so hopefully a lightbulb will go off and he’ll realize he needs to marry you now.
As this chicken is meant to mark the special occasion of the prompting of your engagement, set a romantic mood by setting a table. This dish isn’t meant to be enjoyed on a couch in front of a television or eaten out of the pan it was cooked in while standing over the counter. Use a linen tablecloth (you can always borrow one from your mothers or grandmothers girls!).
Get out the fine china if you have any, as well as your best flatware. Silverware looks formal and works nicely. If you’re popping Champagne in hopes that he’ll pop the question, don’t forget your stemware.
Dim the lights and bring out the candlesticks. Use unscented candles so that the only aroma in the dining area is the food. Fresh flowers are a nice touch and some would argue that a romantic tablescape cannot be complete without them.
Be ready with a romantic playlist on your iPod. Cleverly include your song together, something that reminds you of the first time you met, or music from the concert you both saw together. If midnight soul is what you’re into, try some Sade, John Legend, Brian McKnight, or whatever your heart desires. A little country for your cowboy never hurts either. Think: Keith Urban, Making Memories of Us. Alan Jackson, Remember When. Josh Turner, No Rush. You get the hint.
And lastly, don’t forget the most important and beautiful part of the meal. Your smile. Enjoy yourself. Be happy. Whether the chicken morphs him into a husband or not, you’re lucky to have the moment and memory together. Shakespeare once said, “Love sought is good, but given unsought, is better.” So don’t stress if all doesn’t go as planned with your engagement chicken or you don’t have the perfect plates for your table. The chicken may have some magical powers but no three words have great power than “I love you.”
So here’s to you and your happy ending this Valentine’s Day! Enjoy!