Serving Platter

Have An Easy And Elegant Dinner Of Spatchcock Chicken

If you are in need of a special dinner recipe, preparing a spatchcock chicken may be something that would appeal to you. Although it has a funny name and seems as though it might be difficult, in fact it is a very easy dish. Either for a company meal, or a family dinner, this method of cooking chicken will surely get outstanding reviews from your diners.

A spatchcock chicken is really just a butterflied chicken. Ideally, the chicken should be as young and as fresh as possible. If you wish, you may have the butcher butterfly the chicken when you purchase it. But, the process is not difficult, and you might want to learn how to do it yourself.

What you will need to do the spatchcock preparation is a pair of poultry shears. Often these may be included in the bigger and more comprehensive kitchen knife sets, or you may have to purchase them separately. Poultry shears are a useful tool to have in your kitchen for many purposes, so they are a good investment.

With the chicken in front of you on a cutting board, turn it over so the breast side is down, against the cutting board surface. Using the poultry shears, cut along the length of the chicken on either side of the backbone, cutting through the ribs. The backbone piece should be discarded or can be saved to make stock or soup in another recipe.

Turn the chicken breast side up on the cutting board, pulling apart what is now the underside where you cut out the backbone. Apply pressure to the breastbone, using the heel of your hand, until it breaks completely the length of the chicken, allowing the chicken to be flattened. This can be done as much as a day ahead of time, especially if you wish to marinate the chicken overnight using your favorite marinade.

When you are ready to start cooking the chicken, place it into a roasting pan with the breast side facing up. Make sure the pan is big enough to contain the flattened bird. The chicken should be roasted for about 50 minutes in an oven set to 375 F. Test for doneness by taking the temperature of the thickest part of a thigh, which should measure about 165 F. Cooked this way, the chicken should be well browned and very juicy in all parts, including the breast.

Allow the chicken to rest for a couple of minutes, then proceed to cut it into serving pieces with a carving knife. A good knife set, such as a Wusthof knife set, will usually include a carving knife that will do an excellent job for you. Arrange the chicken pieces on a service platter and garnish as you like. You will enjoy your elegant creation as much as the compliments that will go along with it.

Boleslawiec Polish Pottery Serving Platter