Cooks Country Spatchcock Chicken Food

SPATCHCOCK ROASTED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Lay the chicken on a cutting board breast-side down, with the legs closest to you. Use kitchen shears to cut out the backbone. Open the chicken like a book to reveal the ribs and sternum. Use a chef's knife to score the sternum vertically down the center, then use your hands and body weight to crack the sternum and flatten the breasts and rib cage. Season the chicken all over with 2 teaspoons salt and a generous amount of pepper.
• Lay the thyme sprigs in the center of a rimmed baking sheet and place the chicken on top, skin-side up. Roast the chicken until the skin is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees F, about 40 minutes.
• Let the chicken rest 5 minutes before serving.

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.

LOW COUNTRY SPATCHCOCKED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• In a food processor add the parsley, butter, lemon juice, oregano, sherry, red pepper flakes, garlic, thyme leaves, salt and pepper. Pulse until well combined. Scrape into small dish and set aside. Do not refrigerate.
• Place each chicken, breast side down, on a cutting board. Using a chef's knife or kitchen shears, cut along one side of the backbone, repeat on the other side to remove the backbone completely. (Save it for stock!) Turn the chickens over to breast side up and press down on the breastbones with the heel of your hand until they crack. Tuck the wing tips under the chickens so they don't burn. Place both chickens on a rimmed baking sheet.
• Rub half of the butter mixture under the skin of the breasts and thighs of each chicken. Melt the remaining butter mixture in a pan on the stovetop or in a microwave and brush all over the chickens.
• Cover the chickens with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and baste with any remaining butter or cooking liquid on the bottom of the pan. Continue to bake until the chickens are dark brown with an internal temperature of 165 to 170 F on an instant read thermometer, 40 to 45 minutes more.

ROASTED SPATCHCOCK CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400˚ F. Rinse the chicken, pat dry and rub all over with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Generously season on both sides with salt and pepper.
• Heat a large cast-iron or other ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. When the oil is hot, place the chicken, skin side down, in the pan. Cook until the skin starts to crisp on the edges and the color is golden brown. Flip the chicken over with tongs, taking care not to splatter oil toward yourself, and add the garlic, rosemary and thyme around the chicken in the pan. Squeeze a lemon half over the top and place both lemon halves in the pan, cut sides down.
• Transfer the pan to the oven and roast the chicken (skin side up) for 30 to 35 minutes, until a meat thermometer registers 155˚ F when inserted in the thickest part of a breast. Let rest for about 10 minutes, then carve and serve with pan juices.