Spice Rubbed Spatchcock Chicken
SPICE RUBBED SPATCHCOCK CHICKENš
Grandmaās famous roast chicken got a butterflied makeover, perfect for Sunday dinner yet fast enough for a weeknight too. If youāve never spatchcocked a chicken, itās when you take the backbone out and flatten it, allowing it to cook faster and more evenly - HELLO juicy chicken! Perfectly seasoned chicken, potatoes, and a dreamy sauce youāll basically want to drink. Youāve gotta make this!
Tips:
Thereās two ways you can spatchcock your chicken: you can do it yourself, or you can ask your butcher to do it for you. Just be sure to save the backbone for stock! I like to keep mine in the freezer until Iām ready to use them.
If you are spatchcocking or butterflying your whole chicken yourself, the first thing you are going to need are some heavy duty kitchen shears (like these). Place the chicken on a cutting board breast side down. Use your kitchen shears to cut along both sides of the backbone. Remove the backbone and reserve for stock (it freezes well in a ziplock). Flip the chicken over and press firmly on the breast bone with your palms until you hear a crack and the chicken is as flat as possible.
Potatoes: the potatoes come out soft cooking them under the chicken, which I then like to mash with the sauce to go along with the chicken. If you like your potatoes crispy, Iād recommend cooking them on a separate baking sheet with a little olive oil and seasonings.
Serves 4.
Ingredients:
For the Perfect Spatchcock Roast Chicken:
1 3-4 lb organic whole chicken
2 medium yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1ā pieces
1Ā¼ cup chicken broth
1 tbsp tomato paste
7 peeled garlic cloves
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp fennel seeds
1 tbsp red pepper flakes
1 tbsp smoked paprika
Ā¼ cup olive oil
Zest from 1 orange
Zest from 1 lemon
Salt to taste
Lemons for serving
Directions:
For the Spiced Spatchcock Roast Chicken:
If you are spatchcocking or butterflying your whole chicken yourself, the first thing you are going to need are some heavy duty kitchen shears (like these). Place the chicken on a cutting board breast side down. Use your kitchen shears to cut along both sides of the backbone. Remove the backbone and reserve for stock (it freezes well in a ziplock). Flip the chicken over and press firmly on the breast bone with your palms until you hear a crack and the chicken is as flat as possible.
Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season generously with salt.
Let it sit for about 10 minutes while you work on your spice rub.
Grind coriander seeds and fennel seeds in a mortar and pestle, or use the bottom of a sauce pan or glass to break up the seeds into a rough powder.
Transfer to a bowl with the red pepper flakes, smoked paprika, olive oil and orange and lemon zest.
Pat the chicken dry again and rub the spice mix all over the chicken and under the skin as well.
Let sit for about 15-20 minutes while your oven preheats to 450 degrees.
In a cast iron skillet, whisk together chicken broth and tomato paste.
Scatter garlic cloves and potatoes all over the skillet and place your chicken on top, breast side up. Tuck the wings behind the breast .
Bake at 450 for about 40-45 minutes, basting halfway through or until an instant thermometer reads 155 (it will continue cooking as it rests).
Once your chicken is cooked, transfer the chicken and potatoes to a board and tent with foil to let rest 10 minutes.
Transfer your cast iron with the sauce remaining in it to a burner, bring to a boil then reduce on low for about 8-10 minutes, smashing the roasted garlic into the sauce.
Serve the chicken with the sauce, potatoes, and your preferred vegetable for a delicious and hearty meal that tastes just as good for lunch all week!