Turkey or Recipes for Chicken?
I was looking into my Analytics today, and because Thanksgiving is right around the corner, my other Thanksgiving post is appearing on the radar again. So many things have happened since 2017 that when I look at that menu, it doesn’t seem right.
But turkey being the centerpiece of Thanksgiving, I’m trying to make a concession – I know I said a lot before about not feeling the Turkey vibes, but in the spirit of being thankful, I thought maybe Roast Chicken will be a great option since they’re on the same family anyway. I realized that while I have so many recipes for chicken, I don’t have a roast chicken on file. I know! Shocker! Chicken is a favorite in the house, and I have so many chicken recipes.
So, getting back to menu ideas, instead of Turkey, we can have a Skillet Roasted Spatchcocked (Butterflied) Lemon Chicken Recipe. It comes with a rice side so you’re covered on that front. This recipe is a favorite in the family and I always make it for special occasions. The salty, lemony skin, the moist tender meat, it’s such a winner, and obviously, we Pinoys always love a bit of that citrusy taste. Plus it’s made with staples everyone has in their pantry. The recipe is originally from Craftsy featured in one of my classes (a bit adapted for Filipino taste and kitchen).
Why You Should Spatchcock Your Chicken
If you’ve tried cooking your chicken in the oven, you must have experienced uneven cooking. Some parts are dry, and some parts are not cooked right. This is because, as Serious Eats points out, the breast and the legs have to entirely different cooking points. Spatchcocking your chicken (or butterflying) allows the heat to reach the middle of the chicken at exact points than when you’re cooking your chicken the regular way. Why does this work better than any other method? Well,it turns out that “the breasts lie right in the cooler center, while the legs sit closer to the edge of the pan, where they are exposed to more energy.” Science eh.
What to serve with Skillet Roasted Spatchcocked (Butterflied) Lemon Chicken ?
There are almost endless options when it comes to side dishes for this chicken dish, but since the recipe itself is so simple, I also like to serve something that’s easy to make on the side. It can be paired with anything from a Nicoise Salad. The rice in this Cochinillo recipe would be a good side as well. For a simple side dish, consider going with some baked regular or sweet potatoes on the side and a quick green salad. Since you are baking these in the oven, consider adding some carrots and potatoes for extra salty and lemony vegetables. Lol.
For dessert, this easy Chocolate Mousse Recipe is a good addition to the set.
Skillet Roasted Lemon Oregano Chicken
Ingredients
- 4-pound (1.8-kg) chicken
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ cup (60 ml) lemon juice
- ¼ cup (60 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
- 5 sprigs fresh oregano
For Chicken Lemon Rice
- 50 ml oil
- 5 cloves of garlic
- drippings from the Chicken Roast
- 4 cups cooked rice
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 F (220 C/gas 7).
- To butterfly or “spatchcock” the chicken, cut the bird along each side of the backbone to remove it. Open the chicken as though it is a book and place it, skin side down, on the work surface. Use the tip of a knife to score the cartilage that runs down the center, taking care not to cut through the breast meat; this allows the chicken to lie perfectly flat. Season both sides with the salt and pepper
- Rub the oil over the surface of a cast iron or other ovenproof skillet and place over medium-high heat.
- When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the chicken, skin side down, and cook, without moving it, until the skin is golden brown and no longer sticking to the pan surface, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
- Carefully add the lemon juice and broth to the pan and cook for 1 minute, scraping up the bits from the
- pan surface, until the liquid is somewhat thickened and reduced by half. Return the chicken to the skillet, skin side up.
- Roast about 35 minutes until chicken is fully cooked.
Cook chicken lemon rice in a pan.
- Saute garlic.
- Add cold rice and chicken drippings.
- Season to taste.
Assembly
- Arrange rice in a serving plate. Add the roasted chicken.
- Decorate with the vegetables.
Notes
PS, don’t touch the chicken while it’s cooking on the cast iron. I know it can be tempting to peak but it’ll only result on getting your chicken skin broken. And while that doesn’t change the taste in any way, it ruins the looks. Hehe.
I use the Lodge Cast Iron for this and while we’re at it, I’d like to share a pretty nifty way to take care of your cast iron. It’s a process but taking care of your cast iron is a good way to make sure that they reach the next generation.
