Simple Spatchcock Chicken Dinner

Simple Chicken and Rice Dinner

*Spatchcock Chicken

Every once in a while I like to buy a whole chicken or two that are on a great sale to oven roast.  In a previous recipe post or two, I have stuffed the chicken, rubbed herb garlic butter under the skin and oven roasted over a bed of onions in my cast iron skillet. For this chicken dinner, I spatchcocked a whole chicken.  I used my culinary scissors to cut out the spine and spread it all out. You may crack the breast as you lay it out. I froze the spine to use for chicken stock at a later date. I created a butter and mayonnaise rub which included:

Lemon Zest 

Fresh Sage

Fresh Oregano

Fresh Thyme

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

salt and pepper

20 cloves roasted garlic

extra virgin olive oil

2 rounded tablespoons mayonnaise

3 tabs room softened butter

Preheat the oven to 425-degrees. 

Smash three roasted cloves of garlic and combine it with all of the other ingredients.  Generously rub the mixture under the skin as much as possible and atop the skin. Add salt, pepper, a dozen or so garlic cloves and a drizzle of evoo atop the chicken. 

Place the chicken on a a rack in a roasting pan lined with foil and add to the preheated oven for fifteen minutes uncovered.  Afterward, reduce the heat to 350-degrees and roast, covered with foil, for an hour. 

Chicken Finished. Mayo and butter really generously slathered under and atop the skin provides much extra moisture and helps with the flavorful skin crisping process. 

Forty minutes prior to cutting and serving the chicken, prepare you side dish or dishes.  I served with saffron flower scented rice.  

Use a boning knife and a cleaver to efficiently sever the wings, legs and thighs from the main carcass. Use the boning knife to remove the breasts from the carcass. I garnished with a little fresh rosemary for a beautiful presentation. 

I served two prime choices of chicken meat with some roasted garlic cloves, rice, and drizzled with plate with roasted garlic, lemon and rosemary infused evoo.  Delicous!

While it takes about an hour and a half to prep and cook, you have almost an hour of free time to relax or catch up on your family, the news, fav tv shows and tasks.  

As always, friends, Thank You for your time and consideration.  Now, Go Cook For Someone You Love! And give your dog and/or cat a bunch of extra love and kisses.  They deserve it.  

~Martin

In-House Cook