Chicken Spatchcocked
User Reviews
5
Chicken Spatchcocked
Description
This recipe involves preparing a whole chicken by removing the backbone and flattening it to promote even roasting. The skin is gently loosened and salted, and small pieces of unsalted butter are placed underneath, enhancing moisture and richness. The chicken is generously seasoned with salt and black pepper both under and over the skin.
A roasting setup consists of sliced lemons, fresh thyme sprigs, garlic cloves, sliced Vidalia onion, and peeled ginger placed on a cookie sheet, acting as a flavorful bed beneath a wire rack that supports the chicken. This arrangement allows the chicken to cook evenly above these aromatics, infusing it with subtle citrus and herb notes while preventing it from sitting in its own juices.
Roasting at 375°F encourages both crisp skin and tender, juicy meat. The flattened shape reduces cooking time and encourages uniform doneness, making the dish straightforward once the initial prep is done. The aromatic vegetables and herbs below add moisture and fragrance to the cooking environment.
Ingredients
- 5 pounds chicken whole
- 3 lemon sliced, plural
- thyme fresh, springs
- 1 ginger peeled and sliced, 2-inch piece
- 1 vidalia onion peeled and sliced
- 6 garlic peeled, hard end removed, cloves
- 3 tablespoons butter cut into 4 pieces, unsalted
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 cup white wine
- salt
- black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375F.
- Place the chicken breast side down on a cutting board. Using a chef’s knife or poultry shears, cut along each side of the backbone, separating the backbone from the chicken. Remove the backbone and save it for stock or discard it.
- Turn the chicken, breast side up facing you, on a cutting board. With the heel of your hands, press firmly against the breastbone until it cracks and it lays flat.
- Start at the neck and loosen and lift the skin around the breasts and around the thighs part of the chicken. Gently push between skin and meat (be careful not to detach skin completely) and rub salt under the skin. Place the cut butter under the skin. Sprinkle generously salt and pepper all over the cavity and the all over skin.
- On a large cookie sheet, spread the lemon, thyme, sliced onion, garlic, and ginger to cover the bottom. Sprinkle with salt. Place the wire rack over the lemon onion mixture and place the flattened chicken breast side up, in the middle of the rack. Add the wine and 1 ½ cups of chicken stock.
- Roast the chicken in the preheated oven. Add more chicken stock to the cookie sheet if it starts to dry out. Rotate the chicken halfway through roasting time. Poke gently with a fork the breast at the tight junction to let out any juices.
- Bake for 1 to 1 ½ hours. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before carving.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 8people
Amount Per Serving
Calories 714 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 714kcal | 36% |
| Carbohydrates | 8g | 3% |
| Protein | 55g | 110% |
| Fat | 47g | 72% |
| Saturated Fat | 15g | 75% |
| Cholesterol | 225mg | 75% |
| Sodium | 288mg | 12% |
| Potassium | 705mg | 15% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 2g | 4% |
| Vitamin A | 535IU | 11% |
| Vitamin C | 27.8mg | 31% |
| Calcium | 55mg | 6% |
| Iron | 3.1mg | 17% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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