COOKING AT HOME: LEMON & HERB SPATCHCOCKED CHICKEN
In yesterday's post I covered spatchcocking chicken. Naturally, I had to eat the chicken too, hence this post which covers marinating and cooking the spatchcocked chicken.
Let me first say, this is the first time I've ever spatchcocked a chicken and have cooked it this way — I'm going to tell you now, I don't think I can ever eat chicken another way again. I dearly and truly believe that.
When I roast chicken I never eat the breast — NEVER — I find it way too dry for my liking, I'll often use the breast for a chicken salad or something. But, when you spatchcock a chicken magical things happen, it's partially because of being able to better marinade the meat (now that it's flattened), and what you end up with is literally the juiciest and perfectly flavored chicken with crispy skin. And, when I say "juicy" — I don't mean, you take a bite and wonder, 'is this really juicy?' — I mean, straight-up juicy. You will have no doubt in your mind that it is juicy chicken breast.
I'll never go back.
What you'll need:
1 spatchcocked chicken (I used two in this recipe because I was throwing a dinner). Look here to learn how to spatchcock a chicken.
For the rosemary & herb marinade:
3-5 Cloves of garlic, pressed (use as many as you like, I always use a lot because we love garlic here)
1/2 Onion (red or white), small diced
1 Tablespoon garlic powder (because we love garlic)
1 Tablespoon salt
Large pinch of pepper (optional)
1 Whole lemon juiced (acid is good for tenderizing meat)
1 Pack of poultry mix herbs rough chopped (Stores sell a combinations of mixed herbs in a small plastic pack — mine contained a couple small sprigs of each: oregano, thyme and rosemary — I used them all, this is for two birds) *For a single bird I'd say use about 2 tablespoons. But it's really to taste. If you want a more herbaceous flavor go with more, but also, if you only want to do rosemary, go ahead. Use what you like.
A handful of cilantro, rough chopped, garnish (optional).
A sprinkle of finishing salt (optional).
What you'll need to do:
1. Put all the ingredients for the marinade into a container large enough to marinade the chicken in and mix it up. (I used one large bowl and marinaded one chicken at a time)
2. Add the chicken into the marinade and cover it up, give it a nice gentle rub down on both sides of the spatchcocked chicken.
3. Put the chicken into a 1 gallon plastic ziplock bag, or, onto a flat dish. Scrape the rest of the marinade into the bag or dish, if using a dish make sure to cover it tightly with plastic wrap. Let it sit in the refrigerator for six or seven hours. Flip the chicken over once in the middle (hour 3 or 4).
*I prepared my chicken in the morning and then let it sit until it was time to cook for dinner.
4. Pull out the chicken an hour before cook time and let it rest on the counter.
5. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
6. Place chicken and all it's juices and marinade directly onto a sheet pan covered with foil, the chicken should be laying skin-side up (tuck onion bits under the chicken).
7. Placed in preheated oven with chicken breast facing the back of the oven. The chicken is going to be in the oven for a total of 45 minutes. Turn the chicken around at the half way point so that the legs are facing the back of the oven. (I do this for more even cooking. It won't be the end of the world if you forget).
*If you check at 45 minutes and want the chicken to be a bit more browned, add 10-15 minutes more to your time.
*The chicken is ready when the temperature between the thigh and the body reads 155.
* For those who decide to do two chickens, I had it in the oven at 425 for about 1 hour, and it was perfect.
8. Once you pull the chicken out of the oven, let it rest for 15 minutes. No need to cover it.
9. To serve: cut the leg and thigh from the body, cut the breast away from the sternum, then you can either slice the breast meat further, or, serve the chicken in quarters: two dark portions and two white portions. Plate and then sprinkle with finishing salt and a handful of cilantro (both optional).