A pair of kitchen scissors transforms this chicken from good to great. Here’s the secret…
Butterflied Roast Chicken | Photo by Vanessa Greaves
Butterflied Chicken
What is it? A spatchcocked (aka butterflied) chicken is a whole chicken with its backbone removed. The carcass is then opened up and laid flat before roasting or grilling. And it’s a whole lot easier than it might sound, so stay with me.
Why is it quicker? Flattening the chicken exposes more surface area to heat, so overall cooking time is reduced. That means you can slash about 15 minutes off the hour or more it usually takes to cook a whole chicken. 15 minutes of your life back!
How is it juicier? Chicken has two different kinds of meat that are cooked through at two different temperatures. And there’s the problem. Breast meat starts drying out after it reaches 150° F, but dark leg meat isn’t thoroughly cooked until 165° to 170° F. People try all kinds of tricks to keep the breast from drying out while the legs are still cooking. But simply opening up the chicken and cooking it flat brings both kinds of meat to doneness at the same time. Problem solved.
Why is it crispier? All of the skin is exposed evenly to the heat, with none of it hiding on the underside. That means it all crisps up evenly. And who doesn’t love crispy skin?
Are there other advantages to this method? Yes! You save money two ways:
1. Whole chicken costs less per pound than cut-up chicken. Truth.
2. You can make your own chicken stock with the backbones, and never have to buy it again.
How to Spatchcok (Butterfly) Chicken in 2 Easy Steps
You can use a chef’s knife to cut out the backbone, but I think sturdy kitchen scissors make it a lot easier. Watch how Chef John does it. (Oh, don’t be such a baby. The best cooks get their hands messy.)
1. Place the chicken breast-side down. Cut along one side of the backbone. Repeat along the other side. Trust me, do this once and the next time will be even easier.
Using scissors to cut through the backbone. | Demonstrated by Chef John
2. Open the chicken and slice through the white cartilage at the tip of the breastbone to pop it open.
Use a knife to slice through the breastbone cartilage. | Demonstrated by Chef John
The chicken will lay nice and flat now. Like a beautiful butterfly.
Turn the chicken over, open it up, and flatten it out. | Demonstrated by Chef John
From Chicken Under A Brick video by Chef John | Allrecipes
Pro Tip:
Instead of using (and washing up) a cutting board, I butterfly chicken in the same pan that I cook it in. Of course, this method only works if you use good, sharp kitchen scissors.
Butterflied Roast Chicken with Lemon and Rosemary
Ingredients
3 to 4 pound chicken, backbone removed, skin patted dry
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Black pepper
1 lemon, sliced
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
½ cup white wine or chicken broth
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400° F.
- Line a rimmed baking pan with foil and insert a rack. Rub olive oil on both sides of the chicken. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Arrange lemon and rosemary on the rack under the chicken.
- Roast skin-side up at 400° F for 45 to 55 minutes, depending on the size of your chicken, until an instant-read thermometer registers 150° F in the thickest part of the breast and 165° to 170° F in the thigh.
- Remove chicken to a serving platter and tent with foil. Discard lemon and rosemary and remove rack. Pour wine or broth into the baking pan. Stir with a wooden spoon to gently loosen crispy bits without tearing the foil. Strain pan juices into a saucepan and boil to reduce slightly. Season to taste and serve hot with the chicken.
Pro Tips:
For crispier chicken skin, salt the chicken and let it sit uncovered in the fridge overnight. Before cooking, pat the skin dry one more time and sprinkle on a little more salt.
To marinate, butterfly the chicken first and put it in a zip-top bag or non-reactive glass pan with the marinade for an hour to overnight. Pat the chicken dry before cooking. Discard the marinade, or boil it if you’re using it as a sauce.
Try the butterfly trick on these recipes. It’s a serious game-changer:
- Break out your cast iron skillet (and a couple of bricks) for Chef John’s Chicken Under a Brick.
- Tangy, marinated Cornell Chicken is a top-rated favorite on the grill.
- Not Your Average Grilled Chicken gets a creamy, herby rub between the skin and the meat to amp up the flavor.
- Chef John’s Calabrian Chicken recipe calls for marinated game hens, but go ahead and try it on the grill with a butterflied chicken.
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The post How To Spatchcock And Roast The Juiciest Chicken Ever appeared first on Allrecipes.