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Hmph! Engagement chicken!

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Still_Waiting

Brilliant_Rock
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This is how I''m feeling about Engagement Chicken!

I hope a bad EC experience isn''t indicative of the future of our relationship!
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Okay, I''m kinda embarassed to even tell you gals about this, but I''ve just got to share my experience with you all...

Wednesday I went grocery shopping. Chickens were on sale for 0.79$/pound so of course I scooped one up. When I picked it up I noticed it felt a little frozen, but not solidly, so no big deal. I pulled the chicken out at about 5 o''clock, but it didn''t take me long to realize the darn thing was a lot more frozen than I thought it was. Okay, so I''m a little annoyed because I was really excited about trying the recipe out, but put it back in the frig and made something else. I was a bit disappointed.

So yesterday I''m all excited about the chicken. I was a little nervous about the cooking time because everyone''s been saying it takes a lot longer than the recipe says. So, just after 4 o''clock I start getting everything ready because I was determined to have dinner on the table when SO came home. Everything''s going really well and I''m not worried about it at all. I check the chicken, give it more time. Check the chicken again, it seems done, so I pull it out (thinking, huh, that didn''t take THAT long). So, I proceed to make up the rest of the dinner.

SO comes homes. Everything is ready and looking perfect. We start dishing up only to realize that the chicken is totally not done. I''m a bit sad because I wanted everything to go smoothly, but I put the chicken back in and we start eating without it. SO is enjoying the rest of the meal and even asked, "So to what do I owe this honor?" LOL I responded with, "So you will propose to me." No, that''s what I was thinking. What I really said was, "Just because I love you."

Fast forward a half hour, the chicken still isn''t done, so I challenge him to a game of darts while we wait. Everything''s going along fine. I''m on fire with bull''s eyes and win the first match. Okay, so this is where it gets really frustrating. We start the rematch and SO starts critizing my dart-throwing technique. Now, it''s true that I am a dart-destructor. I would never claim to know what I''m doing besides flinging the darts toward the board. And I break darts all the time. And miss the board entirely from time-to-time. But the way he''s acting is starting to really hurt my feelings. Why ruin the fun by making me feel bad, you know?

Maybe it was because the chicken NEVER DID FULLY COOK (we ate the parts that were cooked, but threw half of it out). I don''t know. I was REALLY hurt about the whole dart thing and kept away from him for the rest of the evening. Well, until I had to get into bed. At that point I had to tell him how much he hurt my feelings and he apologized. I think the Engagement Chicken is cursed!
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So, I''m completely over it this morning. Although I did dream that SO and I broke up last night and I started dating my little sister''s boyfriend. Ick! But that **** chicken! It''s a little funny to me today, but how utterly disappointing! I''m guessing it didn''t work for me!
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I''m not even sure now why I decided to post this because I feel so silly about it. Maybe to give a few of you some laughs?!
 

decodelighted

Super_Ideal_Rock
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Don't feel bad! That recipe is WHACKED ... the first time I tried it, same thing happened to me (luckily I was already engaged -- heh!
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) It *eventually* got done but we ate it an hour or two after the side dishes.

Your oven might be running low temp-wise ... try it at 400 -- or even 450. I remember someone saying that 350 is "baked chicken" but 400-425 is "ROASTED chicken". Its one of those things you really have to experiment with. Also the time is very dependent on the size of the chicken.

Don't fret ... just try it again! Maybe this time put some lemon butter under the skin or something so you can say its a "new recipe".
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ETA: i think the dart comments stung more than they usually would have because you were feeling vulnerable (trying the chicken, hoping for the best) & feeling upset at yourself that the chicken wasn't working. Also, you were both probably tired & hungry at that point ... leads to grumpiness & snarkiness. Glad you talked it out w/him though.
 

princessplease

Ideal_Rock
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Feb 20, 2009
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5,496
Aw, I''m sorry!!!!
If you decide to do it again, try this. I googled roast chicken temps and found this:

Check the chicken with a meat thermometer to make sure it''s done until you get the hang of how it feels. The point between the thigh and the body should register 165. For the size of chicken I usually find at the supermarket, about 2-4 pounds, you can use the following guidelines but you need to vary according to the size of the chicken:

300: about 2 to3 hours
325: about 2 to 2 1/2 hours
350: about 1 to 2 hours
400: about 1 to 1 1/2 hours
450: about 1 hour
 

Still_Waiting

Brilliant_Rock
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Nov 30, 2008
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Thanks for the tips, gals! I double-checked the roasting time with a very reliable cookbook I have and it did say the oven should be hotter. But I didn''t heed the advice. The funny thing is, I typically over-cook meat because I''m so paranoid about making us sick...LOL...I''m glad I can laugh about it today. I made the most delicious turkey last Thanksgiving so I thought I had this roasting thing in the bag (or oven as it may be)! I''ll have to try it again.
 

Winks_Elf

Brilliant_Rock
Trade
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Nov 28, 2008
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1,675
Awe, I'm so sorry it didn't work well for you. (((BIG HUG!)))

My ex's grandmother taught me to cook birds in the oven. She said at 350, it's 20 minutes for every pound. That means a 4.5 pound unstuffed chicken should take about an hour and a half. Always make sure you preheat the oven first, and the bird is completely defrosted.
 

jcarlylew

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Jun 27, 2008
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3,899
oh man. thats how mine turned out the first time too!!
I looked up roasting times in my joy of cooking book, and they were WAAAYYY longer than the original recipe, but they were spot on. also, my oven runs cold, which i didn't know the first time i made it as well.
I would suggest getting a oven thermometer just to be on the safe side.


eta - winks elf good point. I always (now, that i have learned the hard way) heat up the over to a higher temp first.
 

ckrickett

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Jul 26, 2008
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5,346
I haven''t cooked EC for my SO but I did do a practice run on my father, it took like 4 hours for a 3 pound bird, a long time, but we did it at low heat. When it came out it was delicious tho.
I''m gonna try it in a week on the SO, this time get a completely thawed bird, and maybe a smaller one.

I would try again, what could it hurt
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happydreams

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Dec 16, 2008
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cute story!! lol. maybe you can try the vodka sauce pasta. didn''t someone post more recipes?
i would have botched the chicken too.
 

LilyOfTheValley

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Jan 14, 2009
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142
I cooked the chicken at the recipe''s temperature, but it took over 2 hours. 2 hours and 45 minutes, I believe, and this chicken had thawed completely in the fridge from the night before.
 

Still_Waiting

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Nov 30, 2008
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612
The chicken was completely defrosted by yesterday (it just wasn''t when I originally wanted to make it). So that wasn''t the problem. But I think raising the oven temp would help.

Maybe I''ll try the pasta!
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wishinpink

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Aug 5, 2008
Messages
587
hehe thanks for the warning!! i''m a newbie cook (as in.. I can''t cook lol), so these warnings are good so I know to give the chicken even more time!!! Sorry your chicken didn''t turn out too well, did the cooked parts taste good at least? =)
 

Still_Waiting

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Nov 30, 2008
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Date: 3/13/2009 1:04:44 PM
Author: rosebud10
hehe thanks for the warning!! i''m a newbie cook (as in.. I can''t cook lol), so these warnings are good so I know to give the chicken even more time!!! Sorry your chicken didn''t turn out too well, did the cooked parts taste good at least? =)
Very yummy! SO was going on and on about it, but I think mainly he was trying to make up for hurting my feelings! LOL I think it''d be worth giving it another try. We''ll see.
 
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