by merrill
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Photo by Melanie.Einzig
4 tablespoons
softened butter
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Zest of one lemon
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2
fat cloves garlic, minced
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2 teaspoons
thyme leaves, roughly chopped
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1 1/2 teaspoon
Dijon mustard
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Salt and freshly ground black pepper
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1
4-lb. organic chicken
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In a small bowl, combine the butter, lemon zest, garlic, thyme, mustard, a teaspoon of salt and some pepper. Set aside.
Ask the hotline about this step!Remove the gizzards from the chicken and discard. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and set it on a cutting board. Flip it onto its breast and using sturdy kitchen shears, remove the backbone by cutting carefully down each side of the bone, starting at the tail end of the bird. The entire inside of the chicken should be exposed when you’re finished.
Ask the hotline about this step!Sprinkle the cavity thoroughly with salt and pepper, and then flip the chicken over so that it lies flat. Trim any excess deposits of fat from around the cavity, and gently slide your fingers under the skin and ease it away from the meat, around both sides of the breast and both legs. Carefully smear the compound butter underneath the skin all over the meat, being careful not to break the skin. Reserve about a tablespoon of the butter, and then spread that evenly over the skin, followed by a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper.
Ask the hotline about this step!Lay the chicken in a shallow roasting pan just large enough to accommodate it and put in the refrigerator for an hour or two (this will help the skin crisp more when you cook it).
Ask the hotline about this step!When you’re ready to make dinner, heat the oven to 425 degrees and remove the chicken from the fridge. Roast for 20 minutes, then baste and decrease heat to 375. Cook for another 15 to 20 minutes, basting once again in the middle, until cooked. Let the chicken sit for a few minutes before carving; serve with the pan juices and some crusty bread or roasted potatoes for sopping them up.
Ask the hotline about this step!I've made this twice and it has been perfection. I must note that I did it on the fly and didn't marinate. I also didn't measure but guestimated and it was still lovely. I can't even Imagine how perfect it will be when I actuall follow all the steps. Great combo flavors!
This was absolutely perfect. Wouldn't change a thing! The skin on mine didn't come out crispy enough but that's due to the shortcomings of my own roasting abilities.
I made this for a dinner with a dear, carnivorous friend this weekend. It was my first time spatchcocking and it was a great success. Thanks for a great addition to our list of chicken recipes.
I got a similar pan by LODGE - in apple green which I love - it's a little cheaper than LeCreuset ....
Hey tracey181 -
The roasting pan is an au gratin made by LeCreuset......they come in a couple sizes and I use mine for everything!
I'm going to try this tomorrow night!
This might be a strange question but I really love this roasting dish. Who makes it?
I made this last night with buttered orzo to eat with the juices from the roast -- delicious!! My lemon had already been "denuded" for another recipe so instead I squeezed the fresh lemon juice over the finished roast which added a lovely brightness to the sauce, I have made similar roast chickens, spatchcocked and whole, with herbed butter under the skin, but the addition of Dijon mustard sent this one over the top. A keeper! Thanks Merrill!
(Make that a period after "sauce" instead of a comma!)
We had to cook for 20 people the other day and everybody loved it!
GREAT taste!!!
I do this on the grill frequently when I suddenly remember that I have invited my family over for dinner. It's a great quick hacked over some salad greens and vegetables and bread to mop up the juices.
Dan is the founder of Kitchen Options
This looks delicious. I like the way you spread the garlic butter under the skin, and spatchcock the bird yourself. Lazily, I get my butcher to do it and often use the Nigella Lawson method of throwing it in a bag with lemon, rosemary, garlic and olive oil. You're right, it cooks in record time and the high heat then low and slow method is perfect for a delicious juicy bird.