Spatchcock Roasted Chicken with Lemon and Rosemary
An easy recipe for simple roasted spatchcock chicken with lemon and rosemary.
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken (about 3 pounds) backbone removed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Diamond kosher salt or 2 teaspoons Morton brand salt, or 1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 garlic clove grated or finely chopped
- 1 lemon
Instructions
- Heat your oven to 425 degrees.
- Tuck the chicken's wing tips behind the breast bone and place it skin side up on a shallow rimmed sheet pan.
- Mix together the olive oil, salt, rosemary, and garlic in a small bowl. Carefully separate the skin from the breast meat with your fingers, and smear half the mixture over the meat and skin. Flip the bird over and rub it with the rest of the seasoning.
- Place a large ovenproof skillet (such as cast iron) over medium-high heat until very hot. Coat the pan with a little oil.
- Put the chicken in the pan skin side down and place another heavy skillet on top of the chicken to weigh it down. If you don’t have another heavy pan, use a skillet weighed down with a can or two of tomatoes.
- Cook 10-2 minutes, until the skin is dark golden brown.
- Remove the weight, then gently turn the chicken over with tongs, so you don’t tear into the delicious, crisp skin. Slice the lemon in half and place it flesh side down in the pan.
- Transfer to the oven to finish cooking, about 20 more minutes. The legs should wiggle freely and the juices run clear. Cool the chicken 15 minutes. Carve the chicken into pieces and serve.
Notes
To remove the backbone from a chicken:
- Put the chicken on a cutting board, breast side down.
- Cut along the backbone on either side with a pair of scissors or a sharp knife.
- Remove the bone and discard, or save it to add to homemade chicken stock
Nutrition
Serving: 1gCalories: 881kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 93gFat: 53gSaturated Fat: 14gSodium: 675mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1g