Braise
Spatchcocked and Braise-Roasted Whole Chicken
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94 Reviews
Sarah G.
November 2, 2023
This was delicious and I’ll definitely be using the braise-roasting technique again! It was very easy in my staub skillet. I added a bit too much stock, (maybe an extra cup) so it didn’t reduce enough. Also, I might use less lemon next time for more balanced flavor between it and the savory broth (maybe mine was extra juicy?) I’m going to riff on this and maybe add some new flavors and seasoning to the chicken. As written, it was delicious served with roasted acorn squash with more of the sage to tie the two together.
murrboysmom
October 31, 2021
I cook a lot of chicken and have roasted, smoked and BBQ'd chicken. I'm in love with this technique. I'm so happy I was cruising Food52 today and landed on this one!
bellly
March 30, 2021
Perfect whole chicken recipe. (I didn’t have any wine though so I just used more chicken broth.)
Cody E.
November 21, 2018
I love spatchcocked chicken! The first time I tried it, I was intimated by the "cutting of the chicken," but I have to say it is so worth it! It comes out so juicy and tender and delicious! Also, just a side note... try grilling a spatchcocked chicken! The flavor profiles of the smoked meat along with the seasonings are melt in your mouth yummy goodness!
sue_ann_canvasser
November 19, 2018
Can we do this with a turkey?
Amanda H.
November 20, 2018
If you feel comfortable making adjustments to the cooking time and increasing seasonings, wine, and broth, then yes should work!
Sammy
November 19, 2018
This may be obvious to better cooks, but what becomes of the roasted backbone?
I’m making this for Thanksgiving.
I’m making this for Thanksgiving.
Amanda H.
November 19, 2018
It mostly just flavors the sauce, but you can pull any meat off the bone and add it to the sauce.
Sammy
November 19, 2018
Sorry, I just noticed your photos and comments, including purpose of the backbone. Hate to have wasted your time. Can’t wait to make this. By the way, Whole Foods Market is always happy to remove the back bone and keel.
fearlessem
April 18, 2018
Made this a few nights ago and two guests went bonkers for it, calling it the best roast chicken they've ever had. I roasted a sheet pan's worth of potatoes, sweet potatoes, and onions at the same time, using some of the fat that had rendered from the browning of the chicken. Killer.
Madina K.
February 8, 2018
I added some carrot coins and they were delicious! My 17-month old ate an entire quarter chicken (leg and thigh) in one sitting! Delicious!
LindaSK
April 3, 2017
Amanda, in the 70s when I was living in NYC, my husband & I had the privilege of seeing Julia Child cook a chicken this way...with Paul in the front row timing her! We were remembering this the other day & I've been searching through my recipes & cannot find hers :-( Hence a search of Food52's website & here I am! She included potatoes, onions, carrots & parsnips in the pan with the chicken as well. Looking forward to a delicious dinner tonight!
Deb I.
March 21, 2017
Made this for dinner last night. Absolutely delicious. Loved the crispy skin, the short cooking time, the moist flesh. (Had the butcher do the spatchcock part.) See photo on Twitter @DebHendrix2.
Two T.
September 26, 2016
This was so delicious! I will make it again and again. I added potatoes, diced small, in with the shallot and let them cook beneath the chicken. Divine.
Can anyone recommend a good pan for this? One that is oven and stovetop safe and fits a 4lb chicken? I ended up using a 10 inch cast iron skillet when I slided it into the oven with the braise and aromatics--mine wasn't quite large enough for browning the chicken in the beginning though so I ended up using a different pan for that.
Can anyone recommend a good pan for this? One that is oven and stovetop safe and fits a 4lb chicken? I ended up using a 10 inch cast iron skillet when I slided it into the oven with the braise and aromatics--mine wasn't quite large enough for browning the chicken in the beginning though so I ended up using a different pan for that.
Amanda H.
September 26, 2016
Not to push something in our shop but I now use this pan for cooking all sorts of roasts and braises: https://food52.com/shop/products/2359-staub-cast-iron-double-handle-fry-pan-13
It's enameled cast iron so it holds heat super well and also works on both stovetop and oven.
It's enameled cast iron so it holds heat super well and also works on both stovetop and oven.
Can I.
January 9, 2016
I made this tonight for the second time and it is so darn good. Usually my husband does a whole chicken on the grill very week or so, so I don't get to cook a whole chicken often. This recipe is so delicious and so easy and the oven temp allows you to simultaneously roast vegetables. Tonight I roasted whole carrots and cubed white sweet potato. We ate everything with the fantastic pan juices and my husband kept saying how delicious everything was. I just stashed the leftover pan juices in the fridge and will be figuring out tomorrow how to use them. Thank you Amanda! I forgot to mention that I discovered at the last minute that I didn't have chicken stock, so used 4 oz. white wine and 4 oz. water and threw in the chicken neck for flavor. Fantastic!
Amanda H.
January 9, 2016
So happy to hear this! If you have any chicken left, you could pull it into small pieces and serve it with the pan juices over cooked farro or wheat berries. Just an idea!
elf1
December 30, 2014
Simply delicious! The hot reduced juices are fab over a little gem salad, served with crushed roast new potatoes....scrummy!
SleepyG
November 18, 2014
Yummmmmm. Is it weird to eat leftover chicken for breakfast? Oh well if so! Thank you thank you thank you thank you for making my husband use the word, "delicious". He notoriously says "good" in response to dinner which isn't good enough for me:)
Ashley M.
December 25, 2013
Made this for our Christmas dinner tonight with some smashed potatoes and oven roasted Brussels sprouts. As someone who has spent an entire year boasting that the Zuni Cafe roast chicken was THE BEST roast chicken in the entire world, I'm having mixed emotions when it comes to this one, because this was, without a doubt, the most moist, juicy, savory, delicious roast chicken I have ever had. My boyfriend said I was making inappropriate noises while eating it. I'm in love with not only everything about the chicken, but the broth itself. I strained the leftover broth and have stuck it in the fridge until I can figure out what to do with it - I really don't want it to waste, it's too good! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
Amanda H.
December 26, 2013
Ashley Marie, I don't know if I'll ever receive a better comment on a recipe -- thank you, and merry Christmas!
Ashley M.
December 26, 2013
Merry Christmas to you too! Thank YOU for sharing it - REALLY! ;) Any ideas on what to do with the strained broth?
Amanda H.
December 26, 2013
The first thing that comes to mind is stracciatella (Italian egg-drop soup) -- you'd probably have to add chicken broth or water to your saved broth to get the right volume, but I thought of this because the flavor of this soup is so much about the broth. Here's Merrill's recipe for it: http://food52.com/recipes/4165-egg-barley-stracciatella
Ashley M.
December 26, 2013
It's in the low 20F's here, so that soup sounds wonderful tonight, especially after all the heavy food we've been eating this week! Thanks again!
Sarah
October 28, 2013
I have made this several times--great recipe. Last time, I tried deboning two chickens (leaving in the drumstick and retying so they look like whole birds). Browned and the cooked them side-by-side in the braise and people RAVED about it. And so simple to carve.
Jenn2323
September 4, 2013
I made this for Rosh Hashana tonight. Thank you for elevating such a classic recipe like Roasted Chicken. By sharing the technique of removing the bone, the browned skin and even cooking became my new, best "go- to" recipe. Thank you again Food52
stephanieRD
March 4, 2013
Made this last night for our Sunday dinner alongside some brown rice and roasted veggies. This was fantastic! I have never spatch-cooked a chicken before. The breast meat was tender and juicy; the dark meat turned out well also with a buttery, velvety texture. Great idea!
Amanda H.
September 5, 2013
Glad you liked the recipe -- I wish they sold chickens pre-spatchcocked!
Foodelf
March 3, 2013
Thanks for bringing this one back to the surface again, I loved it when I first made it and it certainly deserves another outing.
Julia K.
January 21, 2013
I found this recipe on Food52 app for iPhone and tried it last week. I loved it so much I made it two days in a row with some very minor changes. Thank you for this amazing idea/technique. Just posted it on my blog: http://www.imagelicious.com/blog/2013/1/20/spatchcocked-and-braise-roasted-chicken
TedM
January 8, 2013
Made this last night and I agree with the comments by "the solar chef" and "AmandaJames" below. The sauce turned out quite bitter. Next time no whole lemons! Just the zest and/or juice. Also, for my taste, it could have used much more sherry flavor and a bit of sweetness, so a double-dose of amontillado would be better than the fino.
Or even better yet, the spatchcock/braise idea would be perfect for a whole variety of ingredients, like "AmandaJames'" sausage and artichoke - next time I make this (and I will!) I will probably wing it.
Or even better yet, the spatchcock/braise idea would be perfect for a whole variety of ingredients, like "AmandaJames'" sausage and artichoke - next time I make this (and I will!) I will probably wing it.
Amy G.
November 12, 2012
I made this today for the first time, it was wonderful, as there are only 3 of us there is enough left over for tomorrow's Cobb salad.
elaina
November 5, 2012
I've made this multiple times. My boyfriend loves it. Once I used an immersion blender with the braising liquid, reduced it and used it as gravy on the chicken and mashed potatoes. SO GOOD!!
elaina
November 5, 2012
I've made this multiple times. My boyfriend loves it. Once I used an immersion blender with the braising liquid, reduced it and used it as gravy on the chicken and mashed potatoes. SO GOOD!!
arhoad
October 19, 2012
Mad this last night as an alternate to my usual whole roast chicken with butter, salt, and pepper. My daughter wanted me to mix it up. This was wonderful. I made this with the green beans with soy sauce, ginger, garlic and red pepper flake. Loving your recipes, thank you
millefeuille
March 1, 2012
Great recipe! After reading the braised scallion recipe on this site, I decided to add 2 inch lengths of scallion and carrots to the braising liquid. They were delicious served alongside the crispy, juicy chicken. After gently reducing the strained broth, I added some chopped parsley and chives. Made for a tremendous sauce.
dinner A.
February 16, 2012
Made this for dinner tonight along with barley risotto. So quick and tasty...the sauce was divine.
maryvelasquez
January 22, 2012
Thanks for this recipe, which was very easy after I faced the step where I had to cut out the backbone. I don't have poultry shears, but a sharp chef's knife worked. The fIavor was wonderful. I used the convection feature on my oven, which I rarely do, and the skin was super crisp. And, yes, the carving was a snap!
Amanda H.
February 4, 2012
I'm glad to know it doesn't dry out in a convection oven. I have convection but haven't tried it.
hothead
January 8, 2012
Hi Amanda
Where can I get a low shallow pan for this recipe.
Where can I get a low shallow pan for this recipe.
Panacea F.
January 10, 2012
I used a 12" iron skillet and it worked like a charm. Great recipe, Amanda! I'm so glad to have a new go-to chicken recipe.
Amanda H.
February 4, 2012
A skillet is a great idea -- the pan you see in the photo is a Le Creuset oval casserole dish (enameled cast iron, not ceramic). Hope this is helpful.
Jeff M.
December 26, 2011
As a dutiful bf, I'm baking a test chicken right now for when my gf visits. The aromas alone are enough to....well.....I think my gf will enjoy when I make it for her soon! Thanks!
MaSaBeMama
December 11, 2011
made 4 of these last night - again a truly outstanding dish that is perfect for a crowd. Thank you Amanda!
sue_ann_canvasser
December 11, 2011
Stupid question- since its braised do you cover it in oven? I made this before and it's wonderful but I forget if it's covered!
EmilyC
November 16, 2011
I made this for dinner tonight and loved it! I roast chicken about once a week, and I feel like I've tried every technique out there, but this method may become my new go-to. The chicken was so flavorful from the braising liquid and I love that the skin stays crispy. A great, great recipe.
davegorf
October 15, 2011
I love this. But...What if you were going to spatcock a big turkey for a family dinner and wanted to make it the same way? For a 20 ibs turkey would it simply be 5X the recipe? I love the whole spatchcock method so to do a turkey in less time with this flavor...I need to know. Would the cooking time change, seasoning change - especially if it is a heritage bird or seasonings more attuned to turkey meat than chicken. All ideas are welcome. Thanksgiving is not far away!
Amanda H.
October 15, 2011
I would do two smaller turkeys rather than 1 large, and would then triple the butter and oil and quadruple the aromatics, using half the ingredients for each bird. One thing you'll need to adjust is the liquid. In step 4, I specified how far up in the pan the broth should come, so you may need more or less liquid depending on the dimensions of the pan (or pans) you use. Hope it turns out well!
elaina
June 27, 2011
This was amazing, I made it friday and my boyfriend could not stop eating it. Every piece was delicious. We grilled asparagus and potato's to go with it, while the asparagus was perfect, the potato's were not quite ready so, while the chicken rested we put the potato's in the juices turned up the heat, the sauce thickened and the potato's came out perfect too.
fo
June 25, 2011
i love spatchcocking chicken. its my fave. theres more to a chicken than just its name.
the S.
June 25, 2011
Though I love the method, a light bulb went off when I tasted the sauce: if you use whole lemons with the peel it will make the sauce bitter and that's what happened. If I make this again I will only use only the lemon zest!
AntoniaJames
June 25, 2011
I made this with some regular lemons, at a time when I had blossoms but no lemons on my Meyer lemon tree; we too found the sauce a bit bitter (though I didn't mind it much, as my shallots were sweet and my white wine not very dry). I've also made it with Meyers, which were perfect. If you go with just using the zest, don't forget to add the juice of the lemon as well. This is one of my favorite methods of cooking chickens these days. I use this technique all the time, with a variety of different ingredients playing supporting roles. ;o)
AntoniaJames
May 7, 2011
I used this method, but substituted the basic ingredients in Merrill's Chicken with Sausage, White Wine and Artichokes, http://www.food52.com/recipes/4168_chicken_with_sausage_white_wine_and_artichokes, adding about 2 ounces of garlicky kielbasa in addition to the Italian sausage. Without question, it was one of the most scrumptious roast chickens I've ever prepared. Served the leftover sausage slices, artichoke hearts and sauce over polenta for lunch. In a word, sensational (both the dinner and the lunch!). ;o)
wssmom
March 3, 2011
I have been meaning to make this for a while, and finally scored a chicken worthy of the recipe. What I love are the straightforward, precise and clear directions, which totally carried me through to a great result! The Spouse is still moaning in delight!
hardlikearmour
March 2, 2011
LOL..."winged it"....I've only recently started butterflying chickens, and love the technique!
Blissful B.
February 20, 2011
I made this tonight & it was absolutely delicious. My oven was in use, so I cooked it 100% in the skillet on the stovetop. I didn't get that beautiful crispy skin, but the meat was juicy & very flavorful (with no splatters to clean up in the oven.) Thanks for a simple recipe with lovely flavor.
MinkyMcNamara
February 6, 2011
I made this tonight, and it was fabulous! I love this technique...I used my cast iron skillet. This is a fun change from plain-old roasting, and it makes a great sauce- in half the time. Thanks!
healthierkitchen
January 12, 2011
Have made this twice now - just delicious and so attractive to serve!
Shoshanadh
December 25, 2010
I don't think I'll ever roast a chicken any other way. I've made this twice since it appeared, each time with a juicy flavorful outcome, though I didn't brown the chicken first. I'd like to try duck but am concerned that the duck will end up floating in a tub of fat. Do you think steaming the duck first is a good way to go?
Amanda H.
December 25, 2010
I think it might be better to cook the duck this way a day in advance. Let it cool and refrigerate the duck and sauce separately. In the morning, there should be a solid layer of fat on top of the sauce -- then you can spoon this off and discard it, and you'll be left with a much purer sauce. Then reheat the duck and sauce for dinner.
MaSaBeMama
December 25, 2010
Have made this twice & will be making again tonight. Used Madeira as the spirit - once the rosemary and sage are added the aroma is awesome. Even my non-chicken eating son admitted this was delicious. Thanks!
Amanda H.
December 25, 2010
I'm going to try it with Madeira -- sounds like the sweetness will nicely balance the tart of the lemons.
TheWimpyVegetarian
December 8, 2010
Made this tonight for dinner and it was really wonderful! And oh so easy!! Thanks for another great recipe!!
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