Spatchcocked Chicken with Herbed Butter
Butterflying or spatchcocking a chicken is the easiest way to get a whole chicken to evenly roast with crispy skin. Tucking some herbed compound butter under the skin for extra flavor will bring your roast chicken to the next level.
Ingredients
4 pounds Whole Chicken
1/2 cups Unsalted Butter, (1 stick), at room temperature
2 tsps Chopped herbs, Chopped rosemary, thyme, sage, etc.
1/2 tsps Orange Zest
1 tbsps Olive Oil
4 tsps Kosher Salt
1/2 tsps Ground Black Pepper
Preparation
Prepare Ingredients: Preheat oven to 450°F. Place a wire rack on a baking sheet. If butter is not yet soft, microwave at 10-second intervals until softened.
Make Compound Butter: In a medium bowl, stir together softened butter, chopped herbs, orange zest, and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. Set butter aside.
Spatchcock chicken: Flip the chicken back-side up. Using kitchen shears, cut on either side of back bone and remove and discard back bone. Flip the chicken breast-side up, and using your hands, press on the center breast bone of the chicken to fully flatten it.
Season chicken and roast: Using your hands, gently separate the chicken skin from the meat to create space for the butter. Gently spread butter between chicken skin and meat, pushing around butter as necessary to create an even layer. Season chicken all over (skin and cavity) with remaining 3 teaspoons kosher salt and black pepper. Transfer chicken to wire rack on baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Transfer chicken to oven to roast until skin is crispy and chicken is cooked through and no longer pink, about 45 minutes. Allow chicken to rest for 10 minutes before carving and serving.
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