American, book reviews, chicken, dinner, marinades

Butterflied Roast Chicken: New to Me

I went to our farmer’s market yesterday with a friend and vowed, again, to make this a Saturday habit. I came home with kale, carrots, strawberries, asparagus, tomatoes (a disappointment, but still better than grocery store ones), fingerling potatoes, and some fantastic mustard! The lady who sold the mustard said to rub it on a chicken and marinade overnight, then roast. I decided to play a bit and made up a marinade which got its inspiration from Food.People.Want, which was inspired by Jacques Pepin.    This mustard I bought was already garlic and white wine touched so I just added some hot sauce, soy sauce and olive oil and some boquet garni mixed herbs I had gotten as a sample from Penzeys.

I’ve never butterflied a chicken before but followed the instructions in The Perfect Recipe.

marinating butterflied chicken

1. Place the chicken breast side down with the tail facing you after removing the innards and rinsing. Use kitchen shear to cut the backbone out, cutting down one side of the backbone, then turning the chicken and cutting down the other.  Use this (with the gizzard and neck) to make a bit of broth. (Just cover with water, add half a carrot, and onion end, a bit of celery if you have it and simmer for an hour or so. Strain and there’s your broth.)
2. Turn the chicken so the breast is on top of your cutting board. Press down with the palm of your hand to open the chicken up and flatten the breast so it all lies mostly flat and of even height.
3. She also suggests making a slit in either side of the breast about 1 inch from the tip so you can tuck the legs in. Mine didn’t stay. Maybe next time.

Lay the chicken in a baking dish  and cover both sides with the marinade, rubbing it all over. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.  Pull it out of the frig at least 30 minutes before you need to cook it.

Anderson outlines several ways of cooking a butterflied chicken. I went with the simple roast, breast side up, at 500 F about 30 minutes.  Ours was done after 30 minutes but I think next time I might make it 35 or 40 as I like chicken more on the well-done side.  We somehow forgot to take a picture of it after it was cooked but just imagine it’s wonderfulness.

When it’s done, put the chicken onto your cutting board and cover with foil while you make a simple sauce.   Spoon the fat out of your cooking pan and heat a burner or two on your stove (depending on how large your pan is).   Pour 1 cup water or wine or broth into the pan as you heat it and scrape up all the drippings that are stuck to the pan. Pour that liquid into a saucepan and simmer until reduced by half.  Whisk in a bit of mustard (f you didn’t use it in your marinade) and butter, about 1 Tbs each.

Anderson outlines methods for broiling, sauteing and grilling as well. This is really a fantastic cookbook.   You won’t find 500 recipes for anything but you will find a few really good recipes and the understanding for why.