How To Butterfly Spatchcock A Whole Chicken Recipes

ROASTED SPATCHCOCK CHICKEN (BUTTERFLIED CHICKEN)

Steps:

• Pat dry the whole chicken completely dry with a paper towel before adding seasoning. This helps create extra crispy skin when roasting.
• Place chicken breast-side down on a clean and dry chopping board (wearing disposable gloves helps with easy handling).
• Cut along the backbone in the middle with kitchen scissors and remove the backbone, which is about 1-inch wide.
• Make a small cut with a knife along the white cartilage that connects the breastbone and remove the breastbone by pulling it out through the cut.
• Turn the chicken over with the breast-side up and flatten it out . Tuck the wings under the chicken breasts.
• Pat dry the spatchcock chicken again to remove any excess liquid.
• In a small bowl, stir together one tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper, until combined.
• Generously smear the seasoning mixture over the whole chicken inside and out and let it rest on a clean plate for at least 15 minutes. Make sure the seasoning covers the entire whole chicken including the inside cavity.
• Preheat the oven to 450F.
• Heat a cast-iron skillet on the stove for 5 minutes over medium high heat (or preheat the iron skillet in the oven for 5 minutes). Once the skillet is sizzling hot, sear the chicken by placing chicken breast side down in the hot skillet for 3-5 minutes, until skin gets a little crispy.
• Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake the chicken for 30 minutes until the skin on the breasts turns brown. You can add an oven-safe weight over the chicken such as a Dutch oven lid to promote browning.
• Remove the skillet from the oven and turn the chicken over with the breast side up. Tuck whole garlic cloves and sprigs of rosemary and thyme underneath the chicken to add flavour.
• Combine the remaining oil, chopped thyme and minced garlic in a small bowl and brush the seasoning mixture over the chicken breasts.
• Transfer the skillet back into the oven and continue to bake the chicken for another 10 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165F.
• Remove the chicken from oven and place it on a large plate. Let the chicken rest for 15 minutes. Then, carve and serve.

HOW TO BUTTERFLY (SPATCHCOCK) A WHOLE CHICKEN

Steps:

• With the bird breast-side down and the open end of the bird closest to you, grab the end of the backbone. Using the shears, cut down either side of the backbone and remove.
• Once the backbone is removed, open up the chicken with the legs closest to you
• There's a soft, white, almost transparent piece of cartilage down the center that joins a bone. The best way to remove this is to cut either side so you can grab a hold of it and then cut around it. Just keep cutting away fat around it and pulling.
• Flip the chicken over skin side up and with the palm of your hand, press down on the center to flatten the bird. You may hear a pop.
• The chicken is ready to be cooked whole, but if you want, you can cut the bird in half to portion it out. To do this, use a large chef's knife and cut down the center.

SPATCHCOCKED (BUTTERFLIED) ROAST CHICKEN RECIPE

Steps:

• Place oven rack in upper-middle position and preheat oven to 450°F (232°C). Using sharp kitchen shears, remove backbone from chicken and cut spine into 5 to 6 one-inch-long pieces. Set backbone aside. Flatten chicken by placing skin side up on a cutting board and applying firm pressure to breastbone. Transfer to a wire rack set in a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Position chicken so that breasts are aligned with center of baking sheet and legs are close to edge.
• If using herbs: using your fingers and starting from the neck end and working your way down towards the legs, gently separate chicken skin from the breast and thigh meat; be careful not to tear the skin. Carefully push the herbs under the skin, distributing them as evenly as possible all over the breast and thigh muscle.
• Combine 1 tablespoon (15g) kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, and 1 teaspoon (5g) baking powder (if using) in a small bowl. Sprinkle all over chicken skin and cavity sides, then return to skin-up position. Drizzle chicken skin with 1 tablespoon (15ml) oil, rubbing to distribute evenly.
• Roast chicken until thickest part of breast close to bone registers 150°F (66°C) on an instant-read thermometer and joint between thighs and body registers at least 175°F (80°C), about 45 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat remaining 1 tablespoon (15ml) oil in a small saucepan over high heat until shimmering. Add chicken backbone and cook, stirring frequently, until well browned, about 3 minutes. Add onion, carrot, and celery and cook, stirring frequently, until beginning to brown, about 3 minutes. Add bay leaf and deglaze with vermouth or sherry and 1 cup (240ml) water, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from bottom of pan. Reduce heat to maintain simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Strain out solids and return liquid to pan. Boil over medium-high heat until approximately 1/3 cup (80ml) remains, about 7 minutes. Whisk in soy sauce, butter, and lemon juice off heat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Remove chicken from oven, transfer to cutting board, tent loosely with foil, and allow to rest 5 minutes before carving. Serve with hot jus.

SPICE-RUBBED SPATCHCOCKED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Spatchcock the chicken by using poultry shears or kitchen scissors (or a sharp knife) to cut along one side of the backbone until the chicken opens. If you like you can cut along the other side of the backbone and remove it, or leave it attached to roast with the rest of the bird. Open up the bird and place it so it lies flat, breast side up. Press hard onto the center of the breast until you feel a pop, and the breast lies more or less flat.
• In a small bowl, mix together sugar, salt, chile powder, paprika, mustard powder, oregano, pepper, allspice and bay leaves. Smear the mixture all over the chicken. Lay chicken, skin side up, on a rimmed baking sheet (or plate) and refrigerate uncovered for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.
• Heat oven to 425 degrees. If the chicken isn't on a rimmed baking sheet, transfer it to one. Roast chicken until the juices run clear when the thickest part of the thigh is pricked with a fork (an instant-read thermometer plunged into the thickest part of the breast will read 150), 40 to 50 minutes.
• Remove from oven, cover bird with foil and let rest for 10 minutes before carving. Serve with lime or lemon wedges on the side.