Low Country Spatchcocked Chicken Recipes

SIMPLE SPATCHCOCK CHICKEN

Steps:

• Complete the day before roasting: In a small bowl, combine the salt, black pepper, lemon zest, and fresh thyme. Rub the mixture together with your fingertips to infuse the salt completely. Remove the chicken from its packaging (discarding any excess liquid into the sink or trash) and place breast-side down (with the neck facing towards you) on a large cutting board.
• Using good-quality kitchen or poultry shears and holding the neck in one hand, cut along one side of the chicken spine, separating it from the ribs. Cut closely to the spine so that you do not remove any excess meat. Continue to cut about ¾ along the spine on one side, repeat on the other side of the spine. Grip the spine for leverage and continue cutting on both sides to remove it completely. If you are having difficulty, rotate the bird so that the tail faces you and cut from the opposite side.
• Reserve the spine for homemade stock or a quick pan jus. Flip the chicken so that the breasts face upward and the chicken legs face outward on both sides. Using the palm of your hands, press along the breast bone with some force to flatten the chicken completely. You might hear a slight crack. The legs and breasts should lay completely flat. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels on both sides.
• Season the chicken evenly and liberally on both sides with the salt mixture, both on top of the skin and under the skin on both the legs and breasts by gently lifting the skin (being careful not to tear it). Place the chicken, breast side up, on a wire rack set within a half sheet pan - or other suitable rimmed dish that can fit within your refrigerator. Transfer seasoned chicken to the bottom shelf of your fridge (be sure it is not touching other fridge items) and refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 12 hours or up to a full day.
• To Roast the Chicken (Next Day): Remove the chicken from the fridge and allow to sit out at room temperature for an hour before roasting. This allows the chicken to come to room temperature, and will ensure it cooks more quickly, evenly, and will promote even browning and crisping of the skin. Preheat the oven, with a rack in the upper-middle position, to 425°F (218°C). Note: If you have a convection oven setting, I encourage you to use it - convection cooking uses a fan to evenly distribute hot air throughout the oven and promotes more even roasting/browning, particularly for meat.
• Transfer the chicken, breast side up, onto a wire rack set within a clean, room temperature sheet pan. Tuck the wings under the breasts. Brush the chicken on all sides, with extra virgin olive oil. Roast for about 45 to 50 minutes, rotating the pan once or twice during cooking, or until the juices run clear when you cut between the leg and the thigh, the bird is evenly golden brown, and the thickest part of the breast reads 157°F-160°F (71°C) on an instant thermometer. The temperature of the chicken will increase as it rests as much as 10 degrees, so you do not want to remove the chicken any later, or the chicken breast will begin to dry out.
• Allow the chicken to rest for at least 15 minutes before carving - slice away the legs. Then remove the entire breasts from the breast bone. Store for meal prep or slice against the grain and serve immediately.

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.

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.

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.