Spice-Rubbed Spatchcocked Chicken
A spatchcocked chicken, also called a butterflied chicken, cooks more quickly and evenly than a whole bird, giving you juicy white meat as well as dark meat in less than an hour. Here the chicken is marinated in a brown sugar and chile spice rub before being roasted until its skin is crisp and deeply flavored. If you aren’t up for spatchcocking your own bird, you can ask your butcher to do it for you.
- Total:
- Serves: 4 persons
Ingredients
- 1chicken, 3 1/2 to 4 pounds, patted dry
- 1tablespoon dark brown sugar
- 2 ½teaspoons kosher salt
- 1teaspoon ancho or New Mexico chile powder
- 1teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1teaspoon dry mustard powder
- 1teaspoon dried oregano
- ½teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼teaspoon ground allspice
- 2bay leaves, torn or cut into pieces
- Lime or lemon wedges, for serving
Instructions
Step 1
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.Step 2
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.Step 3
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.Step 4
Remove from oven, cover bird with foil and let rest for 10 minutes before carving. Serve with lime or lemon wedges on the side.