If I’m going to roast a whole chicken, I almost always spatchcock it. This is a method of breaking down the chicken prior to cooking where you remove the backbone and flatten the chicken. I love cooking chicken this way because it cooks faster than roasting whole, and all the pieces have crispy skin.
On Thanksgiving I made the Expertly Spiced and Glazed Roast Turkey from Bon Appetit Magazine. We loved the flavor that the dry salt brine and glaze gave to the turkey, and I was excited to try it on a chicken as well.
Last night I broke down the birds and seasoned them with the dry salt brine. Then tonight I cooked them at 425 for about 70 minutes (glazing about every 15 minutes). You will have to adjust your cooking time based on the weight of your chickens. Mine were pretty hefty 🙂 They came out even juicer than the turkey! This is going to be my standard method for cooking chicken from now on.
I cooked 2 chickens so I would have enough for a few fresh meals, and enough to shred and freeze for quick meals later. I served them tonight brown rice (leftover from Monday), steamed green beans, and a pan dripping gravy. We’ll have the leftover dark meat tomorrow and Friday, and I’m going to shred and freeze the white meat for quick protein on a salad, or protein to add to enchilada filling.
If you’re looking to spatchcock a chicken, visit this link for detailed instructions on how to break down the chicken. It’s the same process for a turkey or any other bird. It’s so easy to carve as well once it’s cooked!
Enjoy!
-Kayla
cultivatinghospitality.com 