An integrated circuit socket includes a housing having a flat plate portion and a plurality of contacts disposed in the housing. The contacts each have a contact beam projecting outwardly from a first surface of the housing and a retained portion disposed in a passageway in the flat plate portion. The contact beam extends from the retained portion. The retained portion has a base portion with a flat-plate shape and a pair of side portions extending at an angle with respect to the base portion on a pair of opposite sides of the base portion. A cross-section of the retained portion parallel to the first surface has a U-shape.