Spice Rubbed Spatchcock Chicken

SPICE RUBBED SPATCHCOCK CHICKENšŸ˜

Grandmaā€™s famous roast chicken got a butterflied makeover, perfect for Sunday dinner yet fast enough for a weeknight too. If youā€™ve never spatchcocked a chicken, itā€™s 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 youā€™ll basically want to drink. Youā€™ve gotta make this!

Tips:

  • Thereā€™s 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 Iā€™m 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, Iā€™d 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!