Butterflied Thai Chicken Recipes

BUTTERFLIED ASIAN CHICKEN

Steps:

• For the Chicken:
• Remove neck, giblets and cut away excess fat from 1 whole roasting chicken. Take a pair of kitchen shears and cut along both sides of backbone to remove it. Turn chicken skin-side up and press down between the breasts to break the keel bone. This will allow the chicken to lay very flat on grill and cook quickly.
• In a small bowl, combine the Chinese five-spice and ground ginger. Sprinkle liberally over all sides of chicken. Set aside.
• In a small pot over medium-high heat, combine the hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, pre-minced ginger (from a jar) and the brown sugar. Bring to a boil for 3 minutes before using.
• Set up outdoor or indoor grill on medium heat. Oil grate when ready to start cooking.
• Place chicken on preheated grill. Flip after 15 minutes and glaze top. Turn and brush every 15 minutes until internal temperature of the thigh is 180 degrees F, about 45 minutes total. Transfer to cutting board and let it rest 5 minutes before cutting.
• Sprinkle the chicken with sesame seeds and 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

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 THAI CHICKEN

Steps:

• TO MAKE THE PASTE: With a mortar and pestle, grind together the garlic, onions, ginger, coriander, and pepper. Transfer to a small bowl and add the fish sauce to form a coarse paste. Remove and discard the neck, giblets, and any excess fat from the chicken. Rinse the chicken, inside and out, under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Butterfly the chicken by removing the backbone and flattening it (see REFERANCE & APPENDIX, _Cutting Poultry For The Grill: Special Technique). Rub the paste all over the chicken. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 6 to 8 hours. Lightly brush or spray the chicken with vegetable oil. Grill, skin side up, over Indirect High heat until the juices run clear and the internal temperature reaches 170°F in the breast and 180°F in the thickest part of the thigh, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from the grill and loosely cover with aluminum foil. Allow to rest for about 5 minutes before cutting into serving pieces. Serve warm.From Weber's Big Book of Grilling. Copyright © 2001 Weber-Stephen Products Co. All rights reserved. First published by Chronicle Books LLC, San Francisco, California.