Spatchcock (such a funny word, if you ask me) is a fantastic way to cook a whole chicken evenly. However, the method of removing the bird's spine and breaking its sternum can leave some people...uneasy. The first time I used this method was because I was fresh out of twine, but I still wanted to cook a whole chicken. I heard of spatchcocking a chicken but never tried it because it sounded rather daunting. Thankfully, I rolled up my sleeves and conquered my fears. The result? Crispy skin and succulent, juicy meat. This dish is excellent for a Sunday dinner with a side of potatoes au gratin and sautéed green beans.
Ingredients:
One 3 1/2- to 4-pound whole chicken
1 cup of garlic butter soften, divide separately into 1/4 cup and 3/4 cup
2 tsp Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees*.
Lay the chicken on a cutting board breast-side down, with the legs facing away from you.
Starting at the neck of the chicken, begin cutting alongside the backbone with a very sharp pair of kitchen shears.
Open the chicken like a book to reveal the ribs and sternum. Use a chef's knife to score the sternum vertically down the center
Flip the bird over with the breast facing up and then, using your hands and body weight, crack the sternum to flatten the breasts and rib cage.
With your fingers, gently lift the skin from meat on the breasts, thighs, and legs (try not to tear the skin; we're making a little gap between the skin and the meat to insert some of the butter).
Again, with your fingers, gently spread 1/4 cup of the soften garlic butter under the skin. This will add extra flavor to the meat as it cooks.
Rub the remaining soften garlic butter over the top and bottom (formerly the inside) of the chicken.
Season the chicken all over with 2 teaspoons salt and a generous amount of pepper.
Place the chicken in the center of a rimmed baking sheet, skin-side up. Roast the chicken until the skin is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees F, about 40 minutes.
Let the chicken rest 5 minutes before serving.
*If you have a rotisserie with a basket, follow steps 2 through steps 9. Then, place the chicken in the basket and place it into the rotisserie. Set the timer for 35 minutes. In the last 7 - 8 minutes of the cook time, stop the rotisserie with the skin side facing the heating element. This will char the skin of the chicken, and leave a nice crispy skin which everyone loves.
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