Life gets busy at times. Especially when trying to eat healthy. Enter Roast Chicken on Sunday and have lunches all ready for the entire week ahead.
The most difficult part would be spatchcocking the chicken. Spatchcocking means cutting the spine out of the bird and flattening it. (This video is great to follow: )If you aren't up for spatchcocking the bird yourself ask your butcher. I have also seen them already spatchcocked in the deli section of the big supermarkets.
Really the only way to screw this recipe up is to not cook the chicken through all the way. Heavily salting the chicken for an hour to overnight makes a type of dry brine. This ensures the chicken is insanely moist even when a touch overcooked.
If you don't trust yourself to check my touch, get a meat thermometer. It will get rid of any and all shades of doubt. Check the thickest part of the thigh and make sure it hits 170F. Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes under a tent of foil and bada-bing perfect chicken. (perfect opportunity to make a gravy).
Oh and if you are one of those prep in advance types. Follow the recipe until it says to let the chicken sit for an hour to overnight. Then place the chicken in a large freezer bag and frozen flat. When ready to use, thaw the chicken in the fridge the night before, chuck it in the oven and finish the rest of dinner.
Date Night Chicken
Ingredients:
2T of Salt
1T of Pepper
1 Whole Chicken (I usually get a 1.7Kilo bird and that is enough for the 2 of us with left overs for lunches the next day)
Process:
Spatchcock the Bird: I use this tutorial https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/videos/techniques/how-spatchcock-chicken-video
Mix together your salt and pepper. Thoroughly cover all crevices and side of the bird
***If freezing the chicken, this is when you should do so. When you are ready to cook, let the chicken thaw overnight in the fridge. Then follow steps 4 onward.
Loosely cover and let chill out in the fridge for at least an hour. You can also prep this the night before and cook the next day.
Preheat oven to 200C
After a rest in the fridge, take the chicken out and pat dry with some paper towels.
Take your favourite stove to oven pan, and heat it on high heat. I use my well seasoned cast iron skillet. The skillet should be searing hot
Lay the chicken down, breast side up. The chicken should be sizzling quite heavily in the pan. Put the chicken in the oven for 20 Minutes
Take Chicken out and flip. Place chicken back in the oven for 20 minutes
Take the chicken out flip the bird. (Chicken should be breast side up now). Place back in oven for 10 minutes
Take the chicken out for the final time and check the temperature. If thigh has reached 170F, cover with a tent of foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes. If not, place back in oven for 5 minute increments until completed.