Butterflied Chicken Recipes

BUTTERFLIED CHICKEN WITH THYME, LEMON AND GARLIC

Steps:

• Whisk together the oil, 2 tablespoons of the garlic, 2 tablespoons of the thyme, 1 tablespoon of the lemon zest and 1 tablespoon of onion in a large baking dish. Add the chicken and turn to coat in the oil. Cover and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours and up to 8 hours.
• Preheat the grill to medium. Remove the chicken from the marinade and season both sides with salt and pepper. Place the chicken on the grill, skin side down and slowly grill until the fat renders and the skin becomes golden brown and crisp, about 15 minutes. Turn the chicken over, close the cover and continue grilling until just cooked through, about 20 minutes longer. Remove from the grill, loosely tent with foil and let rest 10 minutes before cutting.
• Mix together the remaining garlic, thyme and 1 tablespoon of lemon zest and sprinkle over the cut chicken.

BUTTERFLIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Position the oven rack 8 inches from the flame/coil and turn broiler to high.
• Crack peppercorns with a mortar and pestle until coarsely ground.
• Add garlic and salt and work well.
• Add lemon zest and just enough oil to form a paste.
• Cut vegetables into pieces and place in a deep roasting pan.
• Place chicken on a plastic cutting board breast-side down.
• Using kitchen shears, cut ribs down one side of back bone and then the other and remove.
• Open chicken like a book and remove the keel bone separating the breast halves by slicing through the thin membrane covering it, then by placing two fingers underneath the bone and levering it out.
• Turn chicken breast-side up and spread out like a butterfly by pressing down on the breast and pulling the legs towards you.
• Loosen the skin at the neck and the edges of the thighs.
• Evenly distribute the garlic mixture under the skin, saving 2 teaspoons for the jus.
• Drizzle the skin with oil and rub in, being sure to cover the bird evenly.
• Drizzle oil on bone side of chicken as well.
• Arrange bird in roasting pan, breast up, atop vegetables.
• Place pan in oven being sure to leave the oven door ajar.
• Check bird in 10 minutes.
• If the skin is a dark mahogany, hold the drumstick ends with paper towels and flip bone-side up.
• Cook 12-15 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
• Juices must run clear.
• Remove and place chicken into a deep bowl and cover loosely with foil.
• Tilt pan so that any fat will pool at corner.
• Siphon this off with a bulb baster.
• (This fat is great in vinaigrettes).
• Set pan over 2 burners set on high.
• Deglaze pan with a few shots of red wine and scrape brown bits from bottom using a carrot chunk held with tongs.
• Add chicken stock, thyme, the remaining garlic paste and reduce briefly to make a jus.
• Strain out vegetables and discard.
• Slice chicken onto plates or serve in quarters.
• Sauce lightly with jus and serve.

BUTTERFLIED ROAST CHICKEN WITH LEMON AND ROSEMARY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a rimmed baking pan with aluminum foil. Place a rack on top of foil.
• Rub olive oil on both sides of chicken and generously season with salt and black pepper. Arrange lemon slices and rosemary on the rack and place chicken, skin-side up, onto the rack.
• Roast in the preheated oven until no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, 45 to 55 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
• Transfer chicken to a serving platter and tent a piece of aluminum foil over it. Discard lemon and rosemary and remove rack.
• Pour wine into the baking pan and gently loosen the bits of food in the pan with a wooden spoon, being careful not to tear the foil. Strain pan juices into a saucepan and bring to a boil; cook until sauce is slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Spoon sauce over chicken.