This spatchcock chicken recipe delivers a succulent, evenly-cooked bird with a crispy skin, whilst being very easy to prepare.
As much as we enjoy our slow cooked chicken recipe, it's always worth having a little variety. It's amazing how the cooking method can give similar ingredients a different taste and texture.
In fact, I discovered how to do this quite by accident. I'd forgotten to put the chicken in the slow cooker one Sunday morning and had to figure out how to cook it quickly; nobody wants hungry children asking when food will be ready on a Sunday evening.
Because the chicken lies flat in the roasting tin and doesn't have a cavity inside it, it cooks evenly. The butter helps to keep the breast, thigh and leg meat moist and flavourful.
Whilst I use kitchen scissors for the butchery because that's what we've got and they work OK. I have a feeling that a pair of those sharp and powerful scissors that paramedics use would be even easier.
You don't have to use the same herbs as I do in this spatchcock chicken recipe, your favourite blend of herbs and spices will do just fine.
Ingredients
Cut out the backbone
Turn over and flatten
Stuff lumps of butter under the skin
Sprinkle with herbs
Place in the oven
Roast until cooked
Serve
1 Whole Chicken
Butter
Herbs (Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, Thyme)
Preheat the oven to 220ºC (200ºC Fan), 420ºF
Place the chicken spine side up on a chopping board.
Cut the ribs down both sides of the spine and remove it. (Don't throw the spine away, roast it with the rest of the chicken and use it to add meaty flavour to a gravy.)
Turn the chicken over and press down on the centre of the bird to break the breast bone so that it lies flat in the pan.
At this point, you can use skewers to keep the bird flat while it's cooking; I don't generally worry about doing this.
Stuff lumps of butter under the skin. This will keep the meat moist and tender as it cooks.
Sprinkle with salt and herbs.
Place in the oven and cook until the inside of the bird reaches 75ºC (165ºF). I stick a meat thermometer into the thigh because that seems to be the slowest cooking part of the chicken.
Serve with your choice of veg and gravy.
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