Lemon Rosemary Spatchcocked Chicken Recipes

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 SPATCHCOCK CHICKEN WITH DIJON AND ROSEMARY

Steps:

• Place chicken on a large cutting board, breast-side down. Using kitchen shears, cut along each side of backbone and remove (reserve for stock, see cook's note). Flip over; press firmly with your palm in center of breasts to flatten.
• Whisk together mustard, mayonnaise, rosemary, and lemon juice. Season chicken generously all over with salt and pepper; slather both sides with mustard mixture. Cover loosely and let stand while you prepare the grill, or refrigerate in a resealable bag up to 1 day (return to room temperature 1 hour before grilling).
• Heat grill to 350°F for direct and indirect cooking. Oil grates over indirect zone, then place chicken, skin-side up, on it, with legs facing direct zone (this helps keep the breast from overcooking before the legs are done).
• Cover and cook, maintaining a temperature of about 350°, until skin begins to brown and a thermometer inserted in thickest part of breast reads 150°, 45 to 50 minutes.
• Oil grates over direct-heat zone. Using tongs, carefully flip chicken skin-side down over direct heat. Cook, moving occasionally to avoid flare-ups, until skin is charred in places and chicken is cooked through (thermometer should read 160°), 5 to 10 minutes more. Transfer to a tray; tent with foil. Let stand at least 15 minutes before carving.

SPATCHCOCK CHICKEN WITH LEMON BUTTER

Steps:

• Chicken: Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (use convection if possible). Place skillet on the bottom rack of the oven to preheat. Meanwhile, spatchcock the chicken: Use a heavy chef's knife or kitchen shears to remove the backbone, running from the neck to the cavity, by cutting down one side, then down the other. Discard the backbone (or reserve to make stock). Open the spatchcocked chicken like a book, then place skin-side up on a flat surface. Use the heel of your hand to push down on the keel bone (breastbone) to flatten the chicken. Optional: Use kitchen twine to tie the two drumsticks together for better maneuverability in the skillet. Season the chicken liberally and evenly with salt to coat. Flip skin-side down, and season again. Then season both sides with freshly ground black pepper.
• Remove the preheated skillet from the oven. Place chicken skin-side up into the hot skillet so it lies flat. Place into the oven and roast until it's ready for the first basting, 30 minutes. (Chicken will roast for a total of 50 minutes.)
• Lemon-Rosemary Butter: Mince the shallot and set aside. In a small saucepan, add lemon juice and a generous pinch of salt; turn heat to medium and bring to a simmer, 1-2 minutes. Meanwhile, remove leaves from rosemary sprig and mince; you should have about 1 tablespoon of minced leaves. Add butter pieces to the simmering lemon juice and swirl the pan continuously to create an emulsion, 30-60 seconds. Whisk in the mustard powder and shallots. Turn off the heat and add rosemary. Whisk until evenly combined. Set the Lemon-Rosemary Butter aside.
• After 30 minutes, remove chicken from the oven. Use a pastry brush to baste the chicken with one third of the Lemon-Rosemary Butter (including pieces of shallot as well). Return chicken to the oven for another 10 minutes.
• After 10 minutes, remove chicken from the oven and brush skin with half the remaining Lemon-Rosemary Butter. Return to the oven and roast for 10 more minutes.
• After the chicken has roasted for a total of 50 minutes, remove from the oven. The skin should be dark brown, and the drumstick, when gently tugged, should want to separate from the thigh joint. Brush the chicken with the remaining Lemon-Rosemary Butter. Transfer to a cutting board and allow to rest, 15-20 minutes. Carve the chicken: Use a chef's knife to cut away the thigh-and-leg pieces from the breasts, then cut off the wings. Cut the breasts apart. Arrange all the pieces on a platter and serve.

ROAST SPATCHCOCKED LEMON CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place chicken, breast side down, on a work surface. Starting at thigh end, cut along 1 side of backbone with kitchen shears. Turn chicken around; cut along other side. Discard backbone or save for stock. Flip chicken, and open it like a book. Press firmly on breastbone to flatten.
• Rub chicken with 1 tablespoon oil, and season with 1 tablespoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Brush 1 tablespoon oil in the center of a rimmed baking sheet slightly larger than the size of the chicken, and place half the lemon slices in a single layer on top of oil. Place chicken, skin side up, on lemons. Beginning at the neck end of breast, carefully loosen skin from flesh of breast and thighs with your fingers. Slide remaining lemon slices under skin in a single layer.
• Roast chicken 20 minutes. Toss shallots with remaining teaspoon oil, and scatter around chicken. Continue to roast chicken until a thermometer inserted into thickest part of breast reaches 165 degrees, 25 to 30 minutes more.
• Transfer chicken to a carving board, and let rest 10 minutes. Cut chicken into 8 pieces, and serve with roasted lemons, shallots, and pan juices. If using chicken for soup and salad, let chicken cool completely. Remove and discard skin, lemon under skin, and bones, and shred meat into bite-size pieces. Chicken, roasted lemons, shallots, and pan juices can be refrigerated up to 2 days. Store meat and pan juices in separate containers; lemons and shallots can be stored together.

SPATCHCOCK CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil.
• Place chicken, breast side down, on a work surface. Starting at the tail end, cut along both sides of backbone with kitchen shears. Remove backbone. Grabbing hold of both sides of the chicken, open it like a book. Turn breast side up. Push down on each side of breast with your hands until you hear it crack. Flatten chicken and transfer to one short end of the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the second chicken.
• Combine salt, tarragon, paprika, and pepper in a small bowl. Stir in oil. Run your fingers under chicken skin and rub tarragon paste under skin. Slide lemon slices under skin, in a single layer.
• Roast until skin is crisp and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of breast reads 165 degrees F, about 35 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting each chicken into 8 pieces.