Grilled Spatchcocked Chicken

Name: Grilled Spatchcocked Chicken
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 8 h
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 medium onion, peeled and cut in half; 1 large garlic clove, peeled; 1/3 cup packed fresh herbs, such as rosemary, thyme, parsley, and sage leaves; 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil; 1/2 lemon, zest removed in strips with a peeler; 1 chicken (3 1/2 to 4 pounds), spatchcocked (see instructions, below); Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Spatchcocking (or butterflying) lets you grill a whole bird, because it enables you to cook the meat evenly. If your grill is big enough, double the recipe. Leftovers are delicious over salad.

Source: Martha Stewart Living, June 2012

8 hours 30 mins 4

Total Time Prep Servings

Ingredients

1 medium onion, peeled and cut in half
1 large garlic clove, peeled
1/3 cup packed fresh herbs, such as rosemary, thyme, parsley, and sage leaves
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 lemon, zest removed in strips with a peeler
1 chicken (3 1/2 to 4 pounds), spatchcocked (see instructions, below)
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. Prep: Puree onion, garlic, herbs, oil, and zest in a food processor. Rub some puree under skin of chicken breast. Rub remaining puree over rest of bird. Refrigerate at least 6 hours and up to 8 hours. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Wipe off most of rub; season with salt and pepper.
2. Grill: Heat grill to medium-high, or set up for indirect heat. Grill chicken, breast side down, covered with vent open, until nicely charred, 10 to 15 minutes. Flip; cook 30 minutes more. Flip again; grill until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees in thickest part of breast, 5 minutes more. Let rest 10 minutes.

Cook's Notes

To spatchcock a chicken, cut along each side of the backbone with shears. Remove the backbone, and reserve it for stock (it can be frozen up to three months). Turn the bird breast side up; flatten it with your palm.

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Reviews

112

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112

MS11116616

31 JAN, 2015

The version of this recipe shown on TV risks cross-contaminating the cooked side of the chicken with the raw side, which can lead to a bad case of food poisoning. In the TV episode, Martha flips the chicken after cooking it on one side and then covers the cooked side with the same foil-wrapped bricks that have touched the raw side. This problem can be avoided by using two sheets of foil between the chicken and the bricks -- one for the raw side and a fresh, clean sheet for the cooked side.
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- Luke_Skywalker8
  
  17 OCT, 2016
  
  I've been a chef for 23 years I recieved my Masters at the Culinary Institute of America. What you discribed as cross contamination is not contaminating any tools or surface areas. Maby you should understand how and how not to contaminate your area of work space and or tools. You stated, "Flipping the cooked sided chicken down onto cooking surface that had cooked chicken." That my friend does NOT cause CONTAMINATION, my darling Twinkle Toes. Hope I was of some help. Toodaloo Darling Twinkle Toes
GrandmaHa

13 JUL, 2012

We have enjoyed this recipe several times this summer. It is ALWAYS delicious - just grilled or cold the next day!
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TP174197

19 JUN, 2012

You must try this recipe. Full of flavor, the chicken meat is moist, just delicious! Easy to prepare and cooks relatively fast. I grilledl two chickens and the left overs were to die for!
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