Spatchcocked chicken, where have you been all my life?

kshama2001

A few years ago I bought poultry shears and tried a spatchcocked chicken recipe from America's Test Kitchen's but wasn't impressed with it.

But last week I tried Melissa Clark's recipe and we were blown away. My OH said he's never had breast meat so tender. (To keep the breast tender when cooking a whole bird I cook it upside down for the first half and then flip it, but he thinks it is more tender with the spatchcocking.)

Made it again this week and this time covered the wings and very top of the breast loosely with foil for half the time. My 5 pound chicken was done in 50 minutes at 425 degrees.

Last week I cooked it on a broiler pan and added root veggies underneath.

I also really love this spice blend. Note: you are supposed to add the spice blend 2 - 24 hours before cooking. If you don't have all the spices see the comments - lots of people tweaked with what they had on hand.

It is really easy to cut out the backbone with decent poultry scissors. I have these. I'd been using them for gardening tasks after my disappointing first recipe years ago, but they are still plenty sharp for chicken.

I cut the backbone completely out and save it in the freezer. Will make stock once I have a collection. You can also just make one cut - Melissa explains your options in the video.

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018778-spice-rubbed-spatchcocked-chicken

L1zardQueen

THE BEST WAY TOO COOK CHICKEN EVAH!!! Yes. sorry about the screaming.

pinuplove

I have those same shears That is a great way to cook a chicken! I also like the method where you start it in a hot pan and a hot oven, then finish with the oven off so it coasts down and doesn't overcook the bird.

L1zardQueen

Dry brining is good too, if you like extra crispy skin.

girlwithcurls2

And now you know my Thanksgiving turkey secret...
Seriously, other than trying to fit a "spread out" turkey in a pan, it's so easy. And cooks so fast. AND, usually when I go pick up my turkey, the butcher will cut out the backbone (it's much harder in a turkey)!

kshama2001

crazyravr wrote: »

kshama2001 wrote: »

A few years ago I bought poultry shears and tried a spatchcocked chicken recipe from America's Test Kitchen's but wasn't impressed with it.

But last week I tried Melissa Clark's recipe and we were blown away. My OH said he's never had breast meat so tender. (To keep the breast tender when cooking a whole bird I cook it upside down for the first half and then flip it, but he thinks it is more tender with the spatchcocking.)

Made it again this week and this time covered the wings and very top of the breast loosely with foil for half the time. My 5 pound chicken was done in 50 minutes at 425 degrees.

Last week I cooked it on a broiler pan and added root veggies underneath.

I also really love this spice blend. Note: you are supposed to add the spice blend 2 - 24 hours before cooking. If you don't have all the spices see the comments - lots of people tweaked with what they had on hand.

It is really easy to cut out the backbone with decent poultry scissors. I have these. I'd been using them for gardening tasks after my disappointing first recipe years ago, but they are still plenty sharp for chicken.

I cut the backbone completely out and save it in the freezer. Will make stock once I have a collection. You can also just make one cut - Melissa explains your options in the video.

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018778-spice-rubbed-spatchcocked-chicken

Serious? You have never made this before?
If you were impressed by this recipe, try mine

Ingredients:
Chicken flattened.
Jar of your fav indian cooking sauce (Patak's Tikka Masala is my fav)
Head of cauliflower chopped
Head of broccoli chopped

Make it.
Preheat the oven to 375F and take out a large baking sheet.
Place the chicken on a baking ban lined with parchments and rub all over with about a cup of the sauce. Get it all into the chicken and under the skin. Move chicken aside.
Into the same baking pan throw all the veggies. Toss in the extra sauce.
Please the veggies into the oven on the lower rack.
Place the spatchcocked chicken directly onto the upper rack so that the juices drain into the veggie pan.

Roast until done, about 40 minutes. Let the chicken rest for few minutes before cutting into it.
Done.

The veggies will be perfect, flavoured by the sauce and the juices from the chicken.

If I ever get tired of making Nigella's Chicken and Apricot Masala, I will give that a try!

But reviewing your recipe makes me think my Thai BBQ Chicken marinade would be very good on spatchcocked chicken. It's a mashup of the Barbecued Chicken recipe on page 42 and Baked Lemon Grass Chicken on p 43 of Quick & Easy Thai Cuisine: Lemon Grass Cookbook.

garystrickland357

I made spatchcock chicken just the other day. Marinated in salt and buttermilk for 24 hours and cooked in my wood oven. Yes, you’re right - they are delicious.