Garlicky Roasted Spatchcock Chicken

(Maha) #1

IMG_20180617_183647
IMG_20180617_183647.jpg4048×3036 2.94 MB

I’ve made this a few times now, and I think it’s the best way to roast a chicken. The white meat is very moist and flavorful, and I normally don’t care for white meat. The original recipe is found here, but I’ve altered it slightly:

Ingredients
1 (5-lb.) whole chicken
4 garlic cloves, chopped or minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
6 tablespoons (3 oz.) salted butter, softened
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1/2 lemon, after zesting it
3/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 450°F.
  2. Rinse chicken, and pat dry.
  3. Place chicken, breast side down, on a cutting board. Using poultry shears, cut along both sides of backbone, and remove backbone. (Discard or reserve for stock.) Turn chicken breast side up, and open the underside of chicken like a book. Using the heel of your hand, press firmly against breastbone until it cracks.
  4. Place chicken in a large rimmed baking pan. Tuck wing tips under chicken so they don’t burn.
  5. Combine garlic and salt on a cutting board.
  6. Using the flat edge of a knife, mash into a paste. (You can probably skip this step if you mince the garlic first)
  7. Combine garlic paste, butter, thyme, zest, and pepper in a bowl.
  8. Set aside 2 tablespoons of the garlic mixture.
  9. Rub remaining garlic mixture under skin of chicken breasts and thighs.
  10. Bake chicken in preheated oven 10 minutes, preferably with the breast toward the front of the oven.
  11. Reduce heat to 400°F.
  12. Bake 20 minutes.
  13. Spread remaining 2 tablespoons garlic mixture on breasts.
  14. Return to oven, and bake until a meat thermometer inserted in thickest breast portion registers 165°F, about 20 minutes.
  15. Squeezing 1/2 lemon, drizzle chicken with some lemon juice to taste
  16. Loosely cover with foil.
  17. Let stand 10 minutes.
  18. Carve chicken, and serve with pan juices.

You can use various compound butters to get different flavors. That’s what I did with the chicken in these pictures, but I still used the garlic, zest and lemon juice. This method lends itself well to try different seasonings, but it’s important to use some kind of fat/oil under the skin and on it. You can also find videos on how to spatchcock a chicken.

IMG_20180617_183637
IMG_20180617_183637.jpg2146×2862 1.5 MB

(Raj Seth) #2

I like this recipe. I will eliminate the chicken breasts and just do it with legs and thighs!!

(Carol E. ) #3

Good looking recipe. :+1:

I first learned of the term/method Spatchcock last year. :sunglasses: I have roasted whole chicken and you are right, the breast meat is tasty…along with the rest of the bird.

(Raj Seth) #4

Spatchcocked Turkey for Thanksgiving!! Way to go

(Maha) #5

That’s a great idea to do the turkey this way. I’ll try it this year.

(Aimee Moisa) #6

I’ll take your breasts.

(Raj Seth) #7

Spatchcocked Turkey cooks waaaay faster than a whole bird. Use a probe to test
Next level is “total control” turkey. After spatchcocking it, just separate the legs and wings and do it all. Each part cooks to its own temperature. Juiciness galore

This year I’m gonna deep fry mine, of course!!