Spatchcock Chicken

Spatchcock a chicken. Now that's a technique I never thought I'd do. I giggled just saying it. Yeah so much for maturity. QUIET, ANONYMOUS BARB :)

When you spatchcock a chicken you remove the backbone and flatten it. It cooks quicker, more evenly, and it's easier to carve. Like baking bread with yeast, to me butterflying a chicken sounds like a major challenge. So I've been wrong. This was easy enough. Makes me think I may get out the yeast and the lukewarm water and bake a bread. Well maybe not. But this was easy. Really easy. And good. really good.

I found the recipe for Devil's Chicken in a very nice cookbook, A Bird in the Oven by Mindy Fox. It also describes how to butterfly the chicken. It's actually a pretty simple technique. Or ask the butcher to do it for you. You can say "butterfly my chicken" and get the same results as spatchcock. The book has a lot of ideas for chicken and also some very nice sides to go along with the roasted bird. Love this book, I have about 12 post-its in there already. The Devil's Chicken, it's a definite keeper.

Roast Chicken Diavolo with Peppers, Onions and Potatoes
Original recipe from A Bird in the Oven by Mindy Fox
adapted by There's Always Thyme to Cook
Printable Recipe

1 (4-pound) whole chicken, butterflied
1 tablespoon juice from 1 lemon plus zest
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (more or less to taste)
coarse sea salt
olive oil (about 3-4 tablespoons)
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch strips
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch strips
1 large onion, peeled, cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch wedges
1/2 cup dry white wine
baby Yukon gold potatoes, or any potato you like, bigger potatoes cut in small pieces

Preheat the oven to 425° F with the racks positioned in the middle and upper third of the oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Pull off excess fat around the cavities of the chicken and discard. Rinse the chicken and pat dry all over very well. Lightly grease a large baking dish with oil. Place the chicken, skin-side up, into the pan.

In a small bowl, stir together the lemon zest and juice, chopped herbs, black pepper, and hot pepper. Spread the mixture over the chicken, and under the skin of the breasts. Season with salt and drizzle with a bit of olive oil.

Place the potatoes, peppers and onion onto the prepared baking sheet and drizzle with a little bit olive oil. Gently toss the vegetables to coat with oil, then arrange in a single layer. Season with salt and pepper.

Put the chicken on the upper rack and the vegetables on the middle rack and roast for about 20 minutes. Add the wine to the pan with the chicken and continue roasting for 10 minutes more. Remove both pans from the oven and transfer the peppers and onions to the pan with the chicken. Return the chicken and vegetables to the oven and continue roasting until the skin is golden and the chicken is cooked through, about 25 minutes more, and the juices run clear.

Remove from the oven and let rest about 10 minutes or more, then transfer the chicken to a cutting board to carve. Serve with the potatoes, peppers and onions. Spoon the juices over the top.

Joining 

Beth at Beth Fish Reads for her fun Weekend Cooking Party. Every weekend. It's open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share! Go on over and see some fun posts.
 

AND

 Mosaic Monday  at the Little Red House.

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