Lubna 
Not only does this spatchcock chicken look royal and spectacular, but it tastes divine! The aromas of the spices and oregano wafting through the house, whet everyone’s appetite. I was hesitant at first because I thought the white meat would dry out, and we all know how unappetizing that is. But I can’t stop raving enough about how surprisingly juicy this turned out! The sugar in the recipe may seem odd, however, trust me, you won’t really taste it in the end. It is mostly to attain that rich, golden brown color on the skin. The original recipe called for mustard powder, which I didn’t have on hand, so I replaced it with mango powder, and it gives it a subtle hint of tartness that balances out all the flavors. So easy to make, and delicious too! Use the leftovers for sandwiches, or just eat it out of the container over the sink, like I did! 😊
Spatchcock Chicken
1 whole chicken ( skin on – 3 ½ lbs)
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
2 tsp salt
½ tsp cayenne pepper
½ tsp paprika
¼ tsp mango powder
1 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp crushed black pepper
¼ tsp ground nutmeg and mace
¼ tsp cumin powder
¼ tsp cinnamon powder
2 bay leaves crushed
Lemon/Lime for serving
Accompaniments:
1 sweet potato cut in 1 inch rounds
1 russet potato cubed
1 onion quartered
Handful of carrots ( I used baby carrots but it would be better to use bigger pieces)
4 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons Butter
How to Spatchcock a chicken
Spatchcock is essentially a flatter, butterflied whole chicken that cooks slightly faster since the surface area is increased. To spatchcock a chicken, cut out the backbone with kitchen shears or a sharp knife. Reserve this for a flavorful chicken stock (build up a supply by freezing them and when you have 3-4, you can make a good base for soup with it). Make a small cut where the breasts meet. Then flip the chicken over and push that point with the heel of your palm. You’ll hear a snap (basically the breast bone giving away to pressure) and the chicken spreads outs in one flat, uniform manner. Since there is no cavity to fill, the chicken will get coated with a dry rub on both sides and will cook faster.
Dry rub:
- Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel.
- Mix all the spices in a bowl and coat the underside of the chicken first. Then , flip over and massage the top with the dry rub.
- Put some oil on your index finger and run it under the skin. Also place some of the rub under the skin for extra flavor.
- Place the chicken on a wire rack so it is slightly elevated from the pan. Let it rest in the fridge for 1-2 hours. The more it marinates, the better. This will also help to dry out excess moisture from the skin so that it can crisp up really well.
Baking:
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Layer the pan with the vegetables and then lay the wire rack on top. The drippings from the chicken will make the veggies even more scrumptious.
- Bake uncovered for about 40 -50 minutes. The sugar is going to help caramelize the skin.
- Remove, cover with foil and allow to rest for about 10 minutes.
- Serve with a generous squeeze of lime/lemon juice.
Originally, I saw this on Project Smoke on Create TV. Steven Raichlin used a smoker to create a tender roasted chicken. Here’s an example in case you decide to smoke it.
