Butterflied Chicken With Cracked Spices Recipes

BUTTERFLIED CHICKEN WITH CRACKED SPICES

Steps:

• Light a grill or set your broiler on high and give it a 15-minute head start.
• Butterfly (or spatchcock) the chicken: Cut out the chicken's backbone with poultry shears, a cleaver or a sharp, heavy chef's knife (or ask a butcher to do this). If you think you will make stock at some point, by all means tightly wrap the backbone in plastic and put it in the freezer. Place the chicken skin side up in a roasting pan and press firmly on the breast with the heels of your hands until it cracks and flattens. Position the legs so they lie flat and the drumsticks point out. Tuck the wingtips over the tops of the wings to hold them in place, or cut them off. Rub the bird with the oil. (Don't worry about any extra oil that may fall onto the pan.) Now wash your hands.
• Coarsely grind the fennel, coriander, peppercorns and cumin with a mortar and pestle or with 8 or 9 pulses in a spice grinder. Mix in the salt and paprika or pimentón and sprinkle this rub on both sides of the bird, with the emphasis on the skin.
• Set the chicken skin side down on a grill or skin side up on a broiler rack positioned so the highest point of the bird is about 10 inches from the flame. When the skin begins to brown after 6 or 7 minutes, flip the chicken over. (The easiest way is to grab the knobby ends of both drumsticks with several layers of paper towels if you are in the kitchen, or with clean oven mitts if you are grilling.)
• After about 10 minutes, when the bony side is browned, lower the heat to medium-high (400 if you're using an oven), flip the chicken again and cook another 10 minutes, or until the skin is very crisp and brown and the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165 degrees when checked with a meat thermometer. Let it rest about 5 minutes before carving. (If you are grilling, set it on a platter.)
• Spoon any juices that have collected in the broiler pan or the platter over the chicken. Serve with lemon. In springtime, try to serve this with tender young bitter greens - like arugula, watercress or baby dandelions - tossed in a sharp vinaigrette.

SPICY GRILLED BUTTERFLIED CHICKEN WITH CRISPY BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat a grill to 375 degrees F. Clean and oil the grates.
• To butterfly the chicken, use strong kitchen shears or poultry shears and cut down either side of the backbone. Pull out the backbone, turn the chicken over and press down on the breast of the chicken to flatten it out to one thickness.
• Place the butterflied chicken onto a rimmed baking sheet and lightly drizzle with grapeseed oil.
• In a small bowl, mix together the lemon zest, chili powder, smoked paprika, cayenne, cumin, garlic powder, 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Sprinkle over the chicken, rubbing it in until every part is coated. Carefully lift the skin from the breasts and sprinkle some of the spice mixture directly on the meat as well.
• Place the chicken breast-side down on the grill, close the lid and grill for 15 minutes. Flip the chicken, close the lid and grill until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F and the juices run clear, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before cutting into 6 pieces (cut the breasts in half).
• While the chicken rests, drizzle both sides of the bread halves with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill, flipping halfway, until crispy and charred, 5 to 6 minutes. Grill the lemons cut-side down until charred, 2 to 3 minutes. Slice the bread into 3-inch pieces.
• Pile up the grilled bread on a large platter followed by the chicken pieces and lemon halves. Sprinkle with the scallions and parsley. Serve.

BUTTERFLIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Mix the chopped rosemary, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper together in a small bowl to make a paste.
• Place the chickens on a sheet pan, skin side up, and loosen the skin from the meat with your fingers. Place 1/2 of the paste under the skin of each chicken. Rub any remaining paste on the outside and underside of the chickens.
• Turn the chicken skin side down and scatter the lemon slices and sprigs of rosemary over each chicken. Season with salt and pepper. Roll each chicken up, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
• Heat a grill with coals. Spread the coals out in 1 dense layer and brush the grill with oil. Unroll the chickens, place them on the grill and cook for 12 minutes on each side.

BUTTERFLIED CHICKEN WITH HERBS AND CRACKED OLIVES

Steps:

• The night before you plan to grill the chickens, place them on a work surface, breast side up, and open them up against the surface as much as possible. Using your palms, press firmly on breastbone to flatten breast. You may hear a crack. This means you're doing it right. Set chickens, breast side up, on a large rimmed baking sheet. Season generously on both sides with salt and black pepper. Chill, uncovered, at least 8 hours and up to 2 days.
• Remove chickens from refrigerator and set out on your counter. Combine garlic, Aleppo-style pepper, rosemary, and 1/4 cup oil in a small bowl. Rub chickens all over with mixture and let sit until room temperature, 1-2 hours.Prepare a grill for medium-high, indirect heat (for a charcoal grill, bank coals on one side of grill; for a gas grill, leave one or two burners off). Set chickens, skin side down, on grate over indirect heat. Cover grill, placing cover vent (if your grill has one) over chickens so it draws heat up and over them. Grill, rotating chickens as needed so that they color evenly, until skins are lightly browned, 15-20 minutes.Turn chickens and continue to cook, covered, until skins are deep golden brown and crisp and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of breasts registers 160°F, 20-25 minutes. Transfer chickens to a cutting board and let rest at least 10 minutes before carving.Mix olives, lemon juice, oregano, chopped parsley, remaining 1/4 cup oil, and any accumulated juices from chicken on the cutting board in a medium bowl. Season with salt.To serve, arrange carved chickens on a platter and top with olive mixture and parsley leaves.

SPICE-RUBBED SPATCHCOCKED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Spatchcock the chicken by using poultry shears or kitchen scissors (or a sharp knife) to cut along one side of the backbone until the chicken opens. If you like you can cut along the other side of the backbone and remove it, or leave it attached to roast with the rest of the bird. Open up the bird and place it so it lies flat, breast side up. Press hard onto the center of the breast until you feel a pop, and the breast lies more or less flat.
• In a small bowl, mix together sugar, salt, chile powder, paprika, mustard powder, oregano, pepper, allspice and bay leaves. Smear the mixture all over the chicken. Lay chicken, skin side up, on a rimmed baking sheet (or plate) and refrigerate uncovered for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.
• Heat oven to 425 degrees. If the chicken isn't on a rimmed baking sheet, transfer it to one. Roast chicken until the juices run clear when the thickest part of the thigh is pricked with a fork (an instant-read thermometer plunged into the thickest part of the breast will read 150), 40 to 50 minutes.
• Remove from oven, cover bird with foil and let rest for 10 minutes before carving. Serve with lime or lemon wedges on the side.