Spatchcock the perfect roasted chicken

THE PERFECT ROASTED CHICKEN

 

I love the whole chicken and make sure there is always one or 2 in the freezer. We can have it for dinner and also have leftovers for chicken salad, enchiladas, or tossed in a salad, all for an average of $7.00 for a whole chicken. And bonus, I have the backbone to have for when I make chicken stock

 

 I know there are hundreds of recipes out there for roasted chicken, and whether to brine or spatchcock, and for me, from all the testing I have done, this to date is by far my favorite

it’s super easy, and if you have my 25 must-have spices, you will have everything to make the rub with

 

Spatchcock is a term that translates to dispatching the chicken so that it may cook evenly

when we remove the backbone and press it flat in the pan, it brings the breast down even with the thighs, and this help keep the breast from overcooking

 

so let’s get started

I usually buy a 4-6 pound chicken, and cooking time is 15 minutes a pound, or 12 minutes if you have a convection oven.

You will need one whole chicken, one stick of butter melted, and a batch of dry rub for roasted chicken; I leave the kosher salt out because I like to add it separately and know it’s well-salted.

I take my chicken out of the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes to let it come up to room temperature, and this will also help you have a more even cook

turn your oven on and set it to 425 degrees so it will be hot and ready for you

 

Next, I pat it dry; this helps you handle it better and also allows for the rub to adhere.

 

with the best facing down and using kitchen shears cut out the backbone

 

 

I have a baggie in my freezer for the backbones to make stock with

now flip your chicken over, and with the breast up, press down on the breast to break the breast bone and allow you to flatten your chicken

 

Flip it back over and library seasoning the inside with your rub and kosher salt

.

place your chicken with the breast up in a 12 inch cast iron skillet or a heavy roasting pan

season the with your spice blend and kosher salt

 

into the oven, she goes for 30 minutes; make sure your oven is 425 we are roasting here

take your skillet out of the oven,  pour the melted butter all over, and then back in the oven for another 30 minutes

 

let your chicken rest for 10-20 minutes

do not baste with the pan drippings as this will take away that crispy skin we are looking for

 

don’t forget to save all your bones for stock