Erika’s Fav Spatchcock Chicken

Ingredients

8 cups water

1/2 cup kosher salt do not use table salt

1/4 cup honey

3 dried bay leaves

5 cloves of garlic smashed and peeled

1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns

3 sprigs fresh rosemary

3 sprigs fresh thyme

3 sprigs fresh parsley

2 lemons sliced

4 lb whole chicken

Directions

Place the water, salt, honey, bay leaves, garlic, peppercorns, rosemary, thyme, parsley and lemons in a large pot. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
Cook for 3-4 minutes or until salt has dissolved.
Turn off the heat and cool completely.
Add the chicken to the cooled brine. Make sure the chicken is completely submerged.
Cover the pot and refrigerate for 8-24 hours.
Remove the chicken from the brine and rinse with cool water; pat dry with paper towels. Proceed with roasting, smoking or frying the chicken.
Prepare the chicken brine according to recipe directions. Brine for 8 hours.
Remove the chicken from the brine. Rinse the chicken with cold water and pat it dry.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Spatchcock the chicken by removing the backbone with poultry shears or kitchen shears. With the backbone removed, cut the cartilage over the breastbone on the inside of the bird where the two breasts join together near the neck. Cut the cartilage to release the breastbone and allow the chicken to lay flat when you turn it over. Finally, tuck the wings under the rib cage to protect them as they cook.
Make a butter rub by mixing softened butter with salt, pepper, garlic, thyme, rosemary and parsley.
Generously coat the outside of the chicken with the butter mixture. Loosen the skin of the chicken and rub some of the butter mixture under the skin.
Bake at 400 for 45 min then remove from oven and let sit for 10 min before carving.
Insert a probe thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken (breast or thigh). Bake for 40 minutes or until a thermometer registers 165 degrees F in both the thigh and the breast.
Remove the chicken from the oven. Let it rest for 5-10 minutes, then carve and serve.
BBQ
Start with the skin side up for 10 minutes. Then flip to skin side down for 8-10 minutes. Watch the color and don't over-brown the skin. Flip back to the skin side up and cook until about 160° in the breast and about 175°-180° in the thighs. (not done yet)
These times are ESTIMATES due to variability in grills and chicken size. So we are cooking some, flipping to get the skin mostly done, flip back to skin up to finish.
If one of the internal temperatures is not high enough, turn off part of the grill and rotate to cook that area over the active heat until it catches up, then continue with the sauce if using.
give a nice brush of BBQ sauce near end of grilling.
If doing BBQ, give the chicken a good brushing of BBQ sauce of your choice. Now finish grilling another 3-4 minutes until the sauce is browning well, and the temperature is 165°, and the thighs should be about 180°-185°.
chicken is safe to eat when a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken thigh reads 165 degrees F. I also make sure to check the temperature of the chicken breast, which should also register at least 165 degrees F.

Erika’s Fav Spatchcock Chicken

Ingredients

Never Lose Track of Your Favorite Recipes.

Directions

You Might Also Enjoy These Recipes:

Discover. Cook. Share.

Erika’s Fav Spatchcock Chicken

Ingredients

Never Lose Track of Your Favorite Recipes.

Directions

You Might Also Enjoy These Recipes:

Discover. Cook. Share.

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