Instead of Marry Me Chicken, Try Engagement Chicken

If you are looking for someone to put a ring on it this Valentine’s Day, skip the restaurant, and cook at home. Pop-culture famous “Marry Me Chicken” is having its moment, but all the buzz started with the legend of Engagement Chicken, a dish so good it could make anyone who eats it want to pop the question.

We all love a good love story, especially when food is the main character, so let’s dig into this one more.

The story goes that in the early 1980s, a fashion editor at Glamour Magazine shared a recipe for super simple, roast chicken made with lemons, herbs, and generous salt and pepper with her assistant. She prepared it for her longtime boyfriend and he proposed. The assistant then passed the recipe onto a handful of other staffers, setting fire to a chain of engagements at the publication.

Glamour shared the recipe in the early aughts in print and on air with Martha Stewart. Ina Garten got her name associated with it, preparing roast chicken for her beloved husband, Jeffery, often on her popular Food Network show, Barefoot Contessa. Even Meghan Markle let us know roast chicken is what she cooked for Prince Harry the night he got on one knee.

In 2016, a touch of confusion started to come into the mix when popular internet recipe website Delish shared, “Marry Me Chicken,” a Tuscan inspired, skillet chicken dish. The website’s recipe developer wasn’t crazy about the names she was working through for the saucy skillet meal with golden chicken breasts and sun-dried tomatoes. That was until the video shoot day when her videographer took a bite of the dish and exclaimed, “I would marry you for that chicken!”

And thus, “Marry Me Chicken” was born.

Since then, the recipe for “Marry Me Chicken” has gone viral on social media, prompting coverage of the meal in the New York Times, and a slew of other “Marry Me” inspired dishes like “Marry Me Chicken and Rice,” “Marry Me Pasta,” and even “Marry Me Cheesecake” has come on the scene.

Yet, Engagement Chicken has mostly stayed true to its original recipe and stood the test of time.

And, we get why.

Sure, chocolate and champagne may be viewed as the best choice in the food and romance department. Even the rich, creamy flavors of “Marry Me Chicken” and its variants are more decadent in comparison to the seemingly humble roasted chicken. But, Engagement Chicken is cozy and even a bit homey. The presentation of a whole bird is artful and impressive. It is a great metaphor for the best kind of love: one that is lived in, comfortable, and yet still so special.

Food and romance have been inextricably linked for generations—not just in this very online one. Even when a big white wedding isn’t your goal, cooking for someone builds connection and is an amazing expression of care. And, what else but “Love” is touted as the first ingredient when preparing food for neighbors, friends, children, and lovers alike?

So, this Valentine’s Day, marry (pun intended) a classic take on Engagement Chicken with two fantastic side dishes inspired by the Tuscan flavors of “Marry Me Chicken” to create a romantic meal at home for the ones you love.

The Meal:

Lemon Roast Chicken

Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Sundried Tomato Green Beans

Indiana Local Wine Recommendation: Mallow Run Corot Noir

This dry wine with hints of fruit and oak has a chewy mouthfeel bold enough for a celebratory meal, but still will not overpower the flavor of the roast chicken.

Lemon Roast (Engagement) Chicken

Preparing a whole bird is such a moment. While impressive, roasting a chicken is also just a really simple kitchen skill. Don’t forget to save the bones to make stock the following day.

1 3-4 pound chicken, whole

2 lemons

Salt and fresh cracked pepper

Preheat the oven to 425°.

Wash the chicken, both inside and out, and pat dry with paper towels. Be sure that all the water drains from the inside of the bird.

Sprinkle the bird generously with salt and pepper. Rub it into the skin and in the cavity.

Roll the lemons back and forth under your hand on a hard surface to soften them. This helps to allow juices from the lemon to flow easily. Carefully poke each lemon about 20 times all around the surface with the tip of a knife.

Place each lemon in the chicken’s cavity. Place the chicken on a roasting pan, breast side up.

Put the chicken into the 425° oven for 20 minutes, then turn down the heat to 350°. Using a thermometer, cook the bird until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°. It should take about 50 minutes. A helpful hint is that poultry takes about 20 minutes per pound to cook.

Be sure to let the chicken rest about 15-20 minutes on the counter after cooking and before you carve the meat. This ensures the chicken stays moist. The lemons should stay in the bird’s cavity as the meat is carved.

Creamy Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

These mashed potatoes bring in the creamy feel and flavor of Marry Me Chicken’s amazing sauce.

2 heads garlic

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

3 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch cubes

1 small handful of thyme sprigs

4 tablespoons of salt, plus more for seasoning to taste

2 sticks (or 1 cup) butter

1 cup whole milk

Fresh cracked pepper

Preheat the oven to 400°.

Remove excess and loose papery husk on the outside of the garlic bulbs. Slice off the tops of the garlic, exposing the cloves. Place on a square of aluminum foil and drizzle each garlic bulb with the extra virgin olive oil. Loosely wrap the garlic bulb in the foil and roast for 40 minutes. The garlic cloves should be tender enough to squeeze out and golden in color.

Add the potatoes and sprigs of thyme to a large pot of water salted with three tablespoons of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower to a simmer for about 15 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender.

Drain the potatoes, remove the sprigs of thyme, and then return them to the pot. When the garlic is cool enough to touch, gently push each roasted clove into the pot. Using a potato masher, mash the potatoes and garlic so they combine.

Place the butter, milk, and one tablespoon of salt in a small saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat until the butter has melted and the mixture is warm, but not boiling. Pour the butter mixture over the potatoes, stirring quickly until fully absorbed.

Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Sauteed Sun-Dried Tomato Green Beans

Taking the Tuscan flavors found in Marry Me Chicken, these green beans may become your go-to recipe.The color contrast makes this dish a stunner for so many occasions!

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

½ red onion, thinly sliced

1 pound green beans, ends trimmed

¼ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

½ teaspoon sea salt

3 tablespoons pine nuts

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the thinly sliced onion and cook for about three minutes or until translucent.

Add the green beans, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and salt to the skillet. Toss to combine. Cover and cook for 10-12 minutes or until the green beans are tender, but still have a bit of a bite.

Transfer the green bean mixture to a serving dish.

Wipe the large skillet clean and place over low heat. Add the pine nuts and toast carefully for only 1-2 minutes or until golden brown.

Add the toasted pine nuts to the green beans and serve.