The Best Spatchcock Chicken Recipe Ever In The Universe For Real
Grilling a whole chicken is the kind of showy, secretly easy recipes we live to createits unbelievably simple to pull off, but it still makes for a dramatic dinner-party supper. Butterflied and hot from the grill, laid out on a platter with grilled lemons and a bowl of herb sauce, grilled spatchcocked chicken is a meal imbued with the spirit of sharing and generosity around which every gathering should be built. Theres something so wonderfully classic and inviting about serving a whole chickenits homey and special all at once, and this recipe is easy enough that youll be able to relax with the friends you serve it to, which is what this whole dinner-party thing is all about, right?
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Meaty Good For The Whole Family: Broilers And Fryers
Broilers and fryers are the next two sizes up and are the most common chickens sold in the US. Six to eight weeks in age, they have a good balance of flavor and tenderness, and are sized just right to feed four.
I can fit a couple of fryers on my grill at the same time, making them ideal for larger dinner parties.
If Youve Got 30 Seconds And A Blender Youve Got Homemade Herb Sauce
The best spatchcock chicken recipe is only as good as the herbs and spices that flavor it, and this easy, creamy garlic-and-herb sauce is what pushes the particular whole chicken recipe into overdrive. A whole spatchcocked chicken, fresh off the grill and carved at the table while its still steaming and juicy, served with this garlicky, bright, basil-y sauce for dipping and slathering and drizzlingwell, lets just say that itll make even the newbiest of new home cooks look like a master. And the best part? You just toss a bunch of fresh herbs in a blender with some mayo and lemon juice and give it a whirl. Herb saucemade.
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Why Should You Brine A Whole Chicken
Earlier I mentioned that wet brining is the most effective way to season a whole chicken. The reason is pretty simple: it allows the salt and seasoning in the brine to penetrate into the chicken.
Seasoning the outside of a chicken does a fine job on the surface, but doesnt get into the meat as deep as a wet brine especially on a whole chicken. As chicken sits in the brine, the seasoning penetrates deep into the innermost part of the meat, seasoning it all the way through.
Not only will this result in a well seasoned chicken, it will also add moisture to the bird. Chicken breast is notoriously dry, because its so lean. After brining, it will literally be bursting with juice.
Grilled Spatchcock Chicken Marinade
If youre craving a grilled citrus herb spatchcock chicken, then you have to try this marinade!
- Olive Oil: This releases the flavor of the herbs and seasonings.
- Orange: Juice freshly squeezed from an orange adds a delicate citrusy sweetness.
- Garlic: Mince cloves and add them to the marinade mix.
- Parsley: Chopped herbs will balance out this savory dish.
- Brown sugar: This boosts the browning of the chicken and contributes to the skin caramelizing once it hits the grill. It also tenderizes the meat which is why I suggest an overnight marinade for the best results.
- Seasonings: I used a simple blend of paprika, sea salt, Italian Seasoning , dried thyme, pepper, and red crushed pepper .
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What Is Plank Grilling And Why Its Great
Plank grilling is a method of grilling on wood planks to infuse food with wood flavor. Planks are just plain wood.
The method is surprisingly easy with great results.
Bottom line: This full grilled chicken has a golden crispy skin, its moist and yummy with a light smoked flavor and its a lot less fuss than using the rotisserie.
Fast Easy And Extremely Juicy: Cornish Hens
Cornish game hens, contrary to their labeling, are never game, and not necessarily even hens. They are chickens under a month of age, weighing under two pounds, with at least one parent being a Cornish breed. For all intents and purposes, they’re just really small chickens. Their meat is extremely tender and juicy, though not particularly flavorful.
However, a grill adds plenty of flavor on its own, so the flavor issue is not a big deal. Cornish hens have the advantage of a vastly simplified and expedited cooking method: Because of how small and innately juicy they are, you can cook them directly over the hot coals from start to finish, without bothering with a two-level fire at all. I start them skin side up, then flip them a few minutes in, letting them completely cook through skin side down.
In under half an hour, start to finish, you’ve got crisp, juicy, tender chicken in convenient single-serving portions. It’s my go-to choice for an easy chicken dinner from the grill. I can fit up to six Cornish hens on my grill at the same time.
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How Long Does It Take To Cook A Chicken On A Pellet Grill
The cook time will vary depending on the chickens size, grill temperature, and other factors. If youre cooking the whole chicken between 275-300 degrees, you can expect it to take anywhere between 1.5 2 hours.
Make sure you have a good meat thermometer to monitor the internal temperature. Youre looking for about 175 in the thighs and 165 in the breast.
Then its ready to pull off the grill and let it rest.
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What Is Whole Chicken
Whole chickens come in various sizes and may be referred to as a roaster, a broiler or fryer chicken, a Cornish hen or a poussin.
Roaster and broiler or fryer chickens are usually anywhere between 4-7 pounds. Thats the type of chicken thats used for this recipe. Cornish game hens and Poussins are much smaller and are usually only found in the freezer section.
The advantage of buying and grilling a whole chicken is that the price per pound is less because youre not paying a butcher to piece it out. Plus, the bones and chicken skin add more flavor to the meat as it is cooking.
Whole chickens usually come with giblets inside the cavity. Giblets can include organ meats like the gizzard, heart and liver. Sometimes, theyre in a bag inside between the legs and sometimes theyre loose inside. You many also find a chicken neck inside.
These should all be removed before grilling. They can be cooked down for making gravy or broth, or you can discard them.
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How To Pound Chicken Breast
Pounding your chicken is an essential step to making tender, evenly cooked chicken breasts. When you buy chicken breasts at the store, they are often thicker on one side and thinner on the other. You want to pound them to an even thickness so that they cook evenly. The pounding process also tenderizes the meat.
To pound your chicken, place it in a zip-top bag and seal the bag. Use a meat mallet, rolling pin, or any heavy, flat object to pound the chicken into an even 1/2-inch thickness. You can then add your marinade to the same zip-top bag with the chicken.
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Do You Dry A Chicken Before Cooking It
When roasting a chicken, the goal is to cook the chicken through, while developing a crispy golden brown skin. If the surface of the skin is wet when it goes in the oven, browning becomes a challenge.
So, always pat the chicken dry with paper towels, and get as much moisture off the surface as possible. Then, lightly coat with olive oil to help create the beautiful crust we all love on roasted chicken.
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How To Barbecue A Whole Chicken
- realfood.tesco.com
- Summary: Its best to cook the chicken in the oven until almost done, and then finish it on the barbecue to ensure it is thoroughly cooked. Lightly rub olive oil all
- Matching search results: Spatchcocking is a fancy word for cutting a whole chicken open so it lies flat, in one piece, for cooking. If youre squeamish about cutting or deboning chicken then this is a good starting point because its super quick and easy. Youll
The Best Way To Cook Chicken
A whole barbecued chicken makes for a great family meal or dinner for 2 with plenty of leftovers. But getting white and dark meats to cook properly while maintaining juicy meat and a crispy skin can be a challenge that causes many to take it off their menu. Our recipe is going to teach you a couple of very simple techniques to ensure your next whole bird is perfectly cooked.
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How Long Does It Take To Grill Whole Chicken
We used an outdoor gas grill for this recipe. Once spatchcocked, our grilled chicken will take about 45 minutes to 1 hour over indirect heat.
While the grill is heated to 400 degrees F, the burner directly below the chicken will be turned off, the other burners surrounding it will be on. That’s what we mean by indirect heat here .
Why indirect heat? Grilling whole chicken over indirect heat is the secret to juicy, well-cooked chicken. The indirect heat essentially roasts the chicken to perfect doneness without dealing with flare-ups, burnt chicken skin, or underdone meat.
Ingredients For Smoked Whole Chicken
Chicken – The whole chicken. You want at least 12 to 16 oz per person. It is okay to have extra, there are so many ways you can use leftover smoked chicken. For this recipe, I used a 4.2 lb bird. The goal was to feed the whole family of eight. Between two adults, two teens, three children, and one toddler, I figured a 4 lb bird would be sufficient.
Butter – Butter is key to helping keep the chicken moist and get that skin crispy. It also adds a wonderful flavor to the meat.
Salt and Pepper – Proper seasoning is key to getting that perfect bite. Seasoning thoroughly inside and outside is important for a delicious bird.
BBQ Sauce – I was going for yummy, sticky, bbq chicken. You can use your favorite BBQ sauce or try our sweet bbq sauce. If you prefer a dry rub, one of my favorites is simply equal parts of garlic powder, salt, smoked paprika, onion powder, and black pepper. If you prefer a spice rub, you can also add chili powder and a pinch of cayenne pepper to the rub.
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Grilled Spatchcocked Chicken Marinade:
Once spatchcocked, the only other prep involved with grilled whole chicken is seasoning the bird. Feel free to keep things as simple as youd like, using your favorite spice blends or dry rubs, or whip up a quick grilled chicken marinade.
This particular grilled spatchcocked chicken recipe calls for a flavor-forward chili-lime wet rub, made with loads of fresh lime & garlic, staple spices, & honey for subtle sweetness to offset the zesty & spicy flavor.
How to use this chili lime marinade. Stir together fresh lime zest & juice, honey, & spices , drizzling in a little neutral oil to bring everything together. This marinade is a very thick paste, similar to wet rub. Slather it all over the spatchcocked chicken. Be sure to use your hands to work the marinade between the meat & skin, which helps ensure super flavorful grilled chicken.
Suggested marinating time. Aim to marinate the chicken at least 60 minutes prior to grilling, though 12-24 hours is ideal.
How Do You Butterfly A Chicken
First, lay the chicken breast side down on a cutting board and use sharp kitchen shears or poultry shears to cut along one side of the backbone. Then, cut along the other side of the backbone and remove it completely.
Next, with the chicken skin side up, press down on it to flatten before you flip it back over to remove the wing tips.
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What Makes This Recipe Unique
- Donât heat up the house when the temperatures climb. Instead of roasting a whole chicken in the oven, you can BBQ a whole chicken outside!
- This grilled whole chicken recipe comes out with crispy, crackly skin and perfectly juicy white and dark meat.
- This method is almost entirely hands-off! Just a few minutes of prep work, and you can set it and forget it once itâs on the grill.
- Weâve included instructions for both gas and charcoal grills so you can easily adapt this recipe to whatever grill you have.
Should You Soak Chicken In Salt Water Before Grilling
There are a few different factors to consider before making this decision. Whether or not to soak chicken in salt water will depend on the type of chicken being grilled, as well as the weather conditions. The most important thing is to make sure that the chicken is cooked through and doesnt get too salty.
If youre interested in soaking your chicken, here are some tips:
- Things to keep in mind:
- If youre cooking a whole bird, soak it overnight in fresh water before grilling. This will help remove any excess salt from the meat.
- If youre cooking only small birds, cook them first and then soak them for an hour or two after theyve been cooked. The smaller the bird, the less time itll take to soak.
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Season With Your Favorite Rub
I like to start with a light layer of olive oil rubbed all over the chicken to act as a binder. I find that rubs can slip off of chicken pretty easily, so I like to use a binder to keep it all in place.
Once the chicken is lightly coated in olive oil, season it with your favorite barbecue rub. For this recipe, I used the Spicy Nashville Honky Tonk Seasoning by PS Seasoning. Its meant to give a little kick of heat that mimics the flavor profile of Nashville hot chicken, and I think it tastes fantastic on smoked chicken.
If you want to make your own rub, take a look at these 5 best smoked chicken rub recipes for some inspiration.
When you season your chicken, be sure to season both the underside where you removed the backbone and all over the breasts and legs. Lift up the wings and season underneath, as well as the underside of the legs.
How Do You Grill Chicken Without Drying It Out
Grilling chicken is an easy process that can be done without leaving it drenched in water. Here are some tips to help you grill chicken successfully:
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What Is The Nutritional Information For This Grilled Chicken Recipe
With each serving of this delicious chicken, you get 350 calories, 1 gram of carbohydrates, 26 grams of fat with 9 grams being saturated fat, 119 milligrams of cholesterol, and 500 milligrams of sodium.
On the plus side, you also get 30 grams of protein, 320 units of vitamin A, 20 milligrams of vitamin C, and 16 milligrams of calcium as well as 2 milligrams of iron and 275 milligrams of potassium. The amounts will vary depending on the cut of chicken you eat and whether you remove the skin.
Grilling A Whole Chicken In A Pellet Grill
The key for achieving crispy skin on pellet grill whole chicken is to balance the heat and time. We have found 375 degrees is the minimum temperature to set the grill at to both render the fat in the skin and avoid a dried out chicken. Another option is adding corn starch to your dry rub to enhance the crispy texture.We are cooking our whole roasted grilled chicken on our MAK Two-Star General Grill.
While the USDA recommends chicken cooked to 165 degrees F at the thickest part, the answer is a little more complicated when you consider holding temperature and time. Check out one of the best discussions on when chicken is done from Thermoworks.
If you dont have a smoker you can just roast your chicken in the oven at the same temperature.
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