Low Country Spatchcocked Chicken Food

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 SPATCHCOCKED CHICKEN WITH POTATOES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease the top and bottom of a broiler pan with cooking spray.
• Layer sweet potatoes, potatoes, and onion slices in the bottom of the broiler pan.
• Place chicken, breast side down, on a work surface. Cut along both sides of the backbone with kitchen shears from top to bottom; remove backbone. Flip chicken and splay it open. Press firmly onto breasts with your hands to break the breast-bone.
• Brush olive oil over chicken. Season with salt and pepper. Place on the broiler pan top.
• Roast in the preheated oven until juices run clear and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone, reads 165 degrees F (74 degrees C), about 1 hour.
• Let cool before slicing, about 10 minutes. Serve with potato and onion mixture.

HOW TO SPATCHCOCK A CHICKEN

Steps:

• Place chicken on a flat surface breast side down, legs facing away from you.
• With kitchen shears or a very sharp knife, cut out the neck bone all the way to the butt by cutting down one side of the neck bone and then repeat on the other side.
• Turn chicken over and press flat, season and grill or bake as desired.