Spatchcock Chicken Recipe - DWC Magazine

Spatchcock Chicken Recipe

Spatchcock (or butterfly) is a very simple method of preparing a chicken to be roasted much faster. A 2kg/4lb bird can be cooked in 40 minutes (the general rule is 20 minutes per lb when just putting it into the oven).

Additionally, spatchcocking results in crispier skin, and juicier meat. Prep should not take you longer than 20 minutes. So let's get that oven on, shall we?

Set the oven to 220c/425f. Cheers.

We are going to need a nice rub, which means we are going to make it. 

3 cloves of garlic

Zest of one lemon

Some thyme (fresh or dried)

Softened butter

S&P

Combine all of the above, and now grab your chicken. If it has giblets, remove them (don't throw them away, make gravy with them!), and then turn the bird over breast down. See that backbone ridge? It's coming out.

This is easier with kitchen scissors, but if you don't have them then a good solid knife will do the job. Just cut down either side of that ridged bone and remove it (also use that to make gravy, we don't like waste!).

Now open the bird up and sprinkle S&P all over the inside. Now place it in an oiled pan flattened out with the skin facing you. With your hands gently start lifting the skin away, but do not tear it and do not remove it. In here ìs where we are going to put most of the butter mix thereby trapping it between flesh and skin. The rest of the butter mix can go on the skin.

Place in the oven, and go tidy up for 20 minutes. Open the oven, and baste the chicken with the juices from the pan and reduce the heat to 190c/375f.

After 20 minutes more it should be done. Allow to rest for 10 minutes despite your inate desire to start picking from it - you can do this, I trust you.

Not sure you'll ever not cook a chicken like this again (this works with any bird).

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