Spatchcock Chicken

Don’t ask me why this methodology of cooking a whole chicken is called spatchcock. I have no idea, it sounds weird, but it is kind of fun to say.

And it is a really efficient way to cook a whole chicken to ensure the cooking process is even and the chicken is done all of the way through.

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken, about 4 pounds, patted dry and cleaned of innards
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
• 2 fresh thyme sprigs, minced
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2 lemons, 1 zested and juiced, 1 sliced for serving
• 2 teaspoons salt, divided
• 1 teaspoon black pepper, divided
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 pound Yukon gold potatoes, halved

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 475ºF.
2. In a small bowl, combine parsley, thyme, olive oil, the zest and juice of 1 of the lemons, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of the black pepper. Whisk the mixture and set aside.
3. Place the chicken on a sheet pan, breast side down. With sharp kitchen shears, cut along the right side of the backbone through the skin, meat, and bones, and then cut along the left side, too. Remove the backbone and toss it or use for stock.
4. Flip the chicken over and lay it flat. With the palm of your hand, press down firmly on the center of the breast. You should heart the breast bone crack. Use your hands to bend the two sides of the breast backward, if it needs to crack more.
5. Lay the chicken as flat as it will go and sprinkle the chicken with the remaining salt and pepper.
6. In a large bowl, toss the potatoes with 3 tablespoons of the herbed oil mixture, stir.
7. Spread the potatoes around the chicken and then spread the remaining herbed oil mixture on the chicken.
8. Roast for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 400ºF. Continue to roast for about 22-25 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into the thick part of the thigh registers 165ºF. Let rest for 5 minutes.
9. Carve the chicken and serve with lemon wedges and sprinkled with minced fresh parsley.

Spatchcock chicken

Preheat oven to 475ºF.

In a small bowl, combine minced parsley, minced thyme, olive oil, the juice and zest of a lemon, some salt, and pepper. Whisk and set aside.

Place a whole chicken on a sheet pan, breast side down.

With sharp kitchen shears, cut along the right side of the backbone through the skin, meat, and bones.

Cut along the left side next.

Remove the backbone and either toss it or use for stock.

Flip the chicken over and lay it flat. With the palm of your hand, press down firmly on the center of the breast. You should be able to hear the breast bone crack.

Lay the chicken as flat as it will go.

Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper.

In a large bowl, toss some halved gold potatoes with about half of the herbed oil mixture.

Place the potatoes around the chicken and then spread the remaining herbed oil mixture onto the chicken.

Roast for 15 minutes and then reduce the heat to 400ºF. Continue to cook for 22-25 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into the thick part of the thigh registers 165ºF.

Let rest for 5 minutes.

Carve the chicken by separating the wings, the leg and thigh sections, and the breast in halves.

Place chicken and potatoes on a plate and squeeze a lemon over the top, sprinkle with parsley, and serve.