Greek Spatchcock Chicken With Lemon Garlic Recipes

SPATCHCOCKED GREEK CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 °F, 220 °C.
• Spatchcock the chicken: Using a sharp knife or kitchen shears, cut along the backbone and remove it. Save it for chicken stock in a freezer-safe bag in the freezer.
• Cut the breastbone so that the chicken lays flat.
• Cut the wing tips or tuck them under while roasting so that they do not burn. Many times, the chicken is sild with the tips already trimmed.
• Marinate the chicken: Combine the marinade ingredients and mix together. Pour over both sides of the chicken.
• Season the chicken: Combine all of the spices and mix them together. Season both sides of the chicken.
• Chill the chicken in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours so that the marinade can flavor the chicken. If you do not have time, just roast the chicken straight away, the marinade and spices are very flavorful.
• Transfer the chicken and all of the marinade and spices to a cast-iron skillet.
• Add the onion to the skillet and bake in the center of the preheated oven (uncovered) until the internal temperature reaches 165 °F. About 55 minutes.
• For extra golden and crispy skin, turn the broiler element on for the final 5-6 minutes. Keep a close eye on the chicken so that it does not burn.
• Remove from the oven and set aside for 10 minutes so that it stays juicy.
• Serve the spatchcocked chicken with lemony roasted potatoes, mashed potatoes, salad, or Mediterranean rice pilaf.

GRILLED SPATCHCOCKED GREEK CHICKEN

Steps:

• Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, garlic, rosemary, and tarragon together in a measuring cup.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate.
• Place chicken on a rimmed baking sheet. Pour 1/2 of the oil mixture over the chicken and reserve the remaining 1/2. Using your hands, massage the oil mixture into the chicken skin. Season with salt and pepper.
• Grill chicken skin-side up over indirect heat for 50 minutes. Move chicken over direct heat and grill 5 minutes. Carefully flip chicken over skin-side down and grill until skin is brown and crispy, about 5 more minutes. Transfer chicken to a serving platter and let rest for 10 minutes.
• Drizzle reserved oil mixture over the chicken. Carve and serve.

GREEK LEMON-GARLIC CHICKEN THIGHS AND POTATOES

Steps:

• Combine lemon juice, chicken broth, olive oil, garlic, and oregano in a large resealable plastic bag. Add chicken, seal bag, and shake so chicken is well coated with marinade. Marinate in the refrigerator at least 2 hours or overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Coat a 9x11-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
• Pour chicken and marinade into the prepared baking pan. Arrange potatoes around the chicken.
• Bake in the preheated oven until potatoes are tender and chicken is no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, about 1 hour. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

GREEK LEMON CHICKEN AND POTATOES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Lightly oil a large roasting pan.
• Place chicken pieces in large bowl. Season with salt, oregano, pepper, rosemary, and cayenne pepper. Add fresh lemon juice, olive oil, and garlic. Place potatoes in bowl with the chicken; stir together until chicken and potatoes are evenly coated with marinade.
• Transfer chicken pieces, skin side up, to prepared roasting pan, reserving marinade. Distribute potato pieces among chicken thighs. Drizzle with 2/3 cup chicken broth. Spoon remainder of marinade over chicken and potatoes.
• Place in preheated oven. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Toss chicken and potatoes, keeping chicken skin side up; continue baking until chicken is browned and cooked through, about 25 minutes more. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Transfer chicken to serving platter and keep warm.
• Set oven to broil or highest heat setting. Toss potatoes once again in pan juices. Place pan under broiler and broil until potatoes are caramelized, about 3 minutes. Transfer potatoes to serving platter with chicken.
• Place roasting pan on stove over medium heat. Add a splash of broth and stir up browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Strain; spoon juices over chicken and potatoes. Top with chopped oregano.

BUTTERFLIED CHICKEN WITH THYME, LEMON AND GARLIC

Steps:

• Whisk together the oil, 2 tablespoons of the garlic, 2 tablespoons of the thyme, 1 tablespoon of the lemon zest and 1 tablespoon of onion in a large baking dish. Add the chicken and turn to coat in the oil. Cover and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours and up to 8 hours.
• Preheat the grill to medium. Remove the chicken from the marinade and season both sides with salt and pepper. Place the chicken on the grill, skin side down and slowly grill until the fat renders and the skin becomes golden brown and crisp, about 15 minutes. Turn the chicken over, close the cover and continue grilling until just cooked through, about 20 minutes longer. Remove from the grill, loosely tent with foil and let rest 10 minutes before cutting.
• Mix together the remaining garlic, thyme and 1 tablespoon of lemon zest and sprinkle over the cut chicken.

TUSCAN LEMON CHICKEN

Steps:

• Sprinkle the chicken with 1 teaspoon salt on each side. Combine the olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, rosemary, and 2 teaspoons pepper in a small measuring cup. Place the chicken in a ceramic or glass dish just large enough to hold it flat. Pour the lemon marinade over the chicken, turning it in the dish. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Turn the chicken 2 or 3 times while marinating.
• When ready to grill, prepare a hot charcoal fire on 1 side of a grill (or turn a gas grill on low heat). Spread 1/4 of the coals across the other side of the grill. Place the chicken on the cooler side, skin side up, and weigh it down with the dish you used for marinating. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, until the underside is golden brown. Turn the chicken skin side down, weight again with the dish, and cook for another 12 to 15 minutes, until the skin is golden brown and the chicken is cooked through. Place the lemon halves on the cool side of the grill, cut side down for the last 10 minutes of cooking. Remove the chicken to a plate or cutting board, cover with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Cut in quarters, sprinkle with salt, and serve with the grilled lemon halves.

GRILLED SPATCHCOCKED GREEK CHICKEN

Steps:

• To spatchcock the chicken, use strong kitchen scissors or poultry shears and cut down either side of the spine. Pull out the spine, turn the chicken over and press down on the breast of the chicken to flatten it out to one thickness.
• Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice and zest, garlic, oregano, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Put the chicken in a gallon-size resealable plastic bag in a rimmed dish. Pour in half of the marinade, reserving the rest for serving later. Seal the bag and rotate it around to evenly distribute the marinade. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Remove the chicken from the marinade and discard the marinade. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season generously all over with salt and pepper; let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Prepare a grill for medium indirect heat: For gas grills (with 3 or more burners), turn all the burners to medium-high heat; after about 15 minutes turn off one of the middle burners and turn the remaining burners down to medium. For charcoal grills, bank one chimney starter-full of lit and ashed-over charcoal briquettes to one side of the grill. Set up a drip pan on the other side to avoid flare-ups. (Be sure to consult the grill manufacturer's guide for best results.)
• Place the chicken skin-side up on the indirect side of the grill with the legs facing the hotter side. Cover and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh (avoiding the bone) reads 150 to 160 degrees F (almost cooked through), about 50 minutes.
• Move the chicken over to the direct-heat side of the grill. After 2 minutes, flip the chicken to char and crisp up the skin side, another 3 or 4 minutes. Check that the temperature in the thigh is now at least 165 degrees F. If it is not, then move the chicken back to the indirect side, cover and cook until the final temperature is reached. Remove from the grill; let rest 20 minutes before carving.
• Stir the scallions and dill into the reserved marinade. Drizzle over the chicken or serve on the side.

CHILLI, GARLIC & OREGANO SPATCHCOCK CHICKEN WITH CHIPOTLE AïOLI

Steps:

• To spatchcock the chicken, set the bird on your worktop, breast-side down, legs towards you. Using good kitchen scissors, cut through the flesh and bone along both sides of the backbone. Remove the backbone and keep it for stock (freeze until you've gathered three or four). Open the chicken, turn it over, then flatten it by pressing hard on the breastbone with the heel of your hand. You'll feel it breaking and flattening under your hand. Remove any big globules of fat and neaten any ragged bits of skin. Now you have a spatchcocked bird.
• Using a pestle and mortar, pound the garlic to a purée with some sea salt flakes. Add the chilli, oregano, extra virgin olive oil and some pepper. Put the chicken in a dish or roasting tin that will fit in your fridge. Gently loosen the skin of the breast, pushing your fingers in between the skin and the flesh. Work your way under the skin, over the legs too, and spoon some of the garlic and herb mixture in under the skin, then spread it all over the chicken, on both sides. Cover with cling film and put in the fridge for a few hours.
• Mix the egg yolk, mustard and crushed garlic together in a bowl. Using electric beaters or a whisk, start gradually adding the oils in little drops. Make sure that each drop has been incorporated before you add the next. If your mixture splits, just start again with a new egg yolk, and gradually add the curdled mixture to it. Add the chipotle paste, lemon juice to taste and seasoning. Cover and keep in the fridge for up to 4 hrs.
• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Lay the chicken in a roasting tin, breast-side up. Season all over and roast for 1 hr, basting a few times during cooking. To check that the chicken is cooked properly, pierce the bird between the leg and the body - the juices should run clear. Cut into serving pieces and serve with the chipotle aïoli. Roasted sweet potato wedges and a green salad are brilliant on the side. Any leftover aïoli will keep covered in the fridge for two days.

GRILLED SPATCHCOCKED CHICKEN WITH HONEY, CHILE AND LEMON

Steps:

• The day before cooking, spatchcock and season the chicken: Remove the spindly wing tips by cutting through the first wing joint with heavy-duty kitchen scissors. Lay the chicken breast side down. Using the scissors again, snip along both sides of the spine to remove it. (Reserve or freeze the spine for stock.) Open up the chicken and flip it over, placing it breast up and with the legs toward you on your cutting board. With one palm on top of the other in the center of the breast, press down until you feel the cartilage crack and the bird lies flat.
• Use the tip of a sharp knife to make three parallel slices in each breast, then three in each leg; each incision should go down to the bone and be about 3 inches long. Rub the sea salt all over, including in the incisions, seasoning more heavily on the underside of the bird.
• In a small bowl, mix the juice of 2 1/2 lemons with the honey, oregano, chile flakes and pepper. Pour 1/3 cup of this marinade over the chicken and refrigerate the remaining marinade for grilling.
• Trim the ends of the 1/2 lemon, then slice it into 12 very thin half-moons and remove any seeds. Tuck the lemon slices into each of the incisions on the chicken, sliding the cut side in and leaving the peel exposed.
• Place the chicken on a rimmed baking sheet, breast side up, and refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 12 or up to 24 hours.
• Two hours before cooking the chicken, take it out of the fridge to come to room temperature.
• Prepare the grill: Clean the grate thoroughly and light the coals. The bird should cook over low, indirect heat. The coals are ready when they're gray and dusty, rather than glowing red.
• Place the bird on the grill, breast side down, discarding any liquid left behind. Watch your chicken like a hawk for the first few minutes and flip the bird if the skin starts to char. When the chicken is lightly colored, or after 10 minutes, flip it over and baste with the reserved marinade. Close the lid on the grill and cook for 40 to 50 minutes more, flipping and basting the chicken every 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare the chickpeas: Using a mortar and pestle, crush the garlic, oregano and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt. When it's a chunky paste, stir in olive oil and lemon. In a large shallow serving bowl, toss the chickpeas with 1/4 cup dressing and season to taste with sea salt. (Reserve the remaining dressing for the chicken.)
• When the chicken has been cooking for 60 minutes, take its temperature: The meat should feel firm and an instant-read thermometer should read 165 degrees when inserted near the bone of the thickest part of the breast and leg. The chicken may need another 5 to 10 minutes grilling with the lid closed. If you want more char on the breast, cook breast side down; if there is enough color, continue to cook breast side up.
• Once the chicken is cooked, set it on top of the chickpeas. If you have any remaining baste, pour it over the bird. Let it rest for 10 minutes before carving on a cutting board.
• Use a large knife or cleaver to remove both thighs and legs. Separate both breasts, then cut each in half crosswise, creating 8 pieces. Place the chicken pieces back on the chickpeas and drizzle the chicken with the reserved oregano dressing. Cut the remaining lemon into quarters for squeezing on top, and dollop with Greek yogurt, if desired.