I'm a big fan of pre-made rotisserie chickens, but it's very easy to roast a whole chicken. With this method, it cooks in about 40 minutes. And you'll have juicy chicken for recipes the whole week long.
Fair warning: To do this right, prepare it 48 hours in advance. Get ready to release your inner spine-cutter and bone-cruncher. Not for the faint of heart, kiddos.
“Spatchcock. Heh heh heh.” - The 9-year-old part of my brain
Ingredients:
1 whole, fresh, uncooked, roaster chicken
1 Tablespoon olive oil
Seasoning as you wish (e.g., salt and pepper; or Chili Lime seasoning; or paprika; or thyme and sage)
Preparation:
- Remove giblet packet and dry the chicken with paper towels. Place the chicken breast-side down and -- using sharp kitchen shears -- cut alongside the spine, up the entire length of the chicken. Turn the chicken around and cut up the other side of the backbone. Remove/discard the spine. Flip the chicken over and press on the ribcage with both hands (like you're performing CPR) until the bones crack and the chicken lays flat.
- Sprinkle chicken with seasoning and place into cast iron skillet.
- If you want crispy chicken skin -- and you do, put uncovered chicken skillet into the fridge for 1-2 days before cooking. This allows the skin (but not the chicken) to dry out.
Cook & Serve:
Preheat oven to 425. Rub the chicken with olive oil and roast for about 40 minutes (yes, that's all!) or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast reaches 165 degrees. Transfer chicken to carving board and let rest for 10 minutes. Carve and serve. Shred the rest for future meals. ANOTHER OPTION: If you want to be fancy with it, fill skillet with lemon wedges, onion slices and chopped parsley or sage, then put the chicken on top of the lemons/onions to cook.
A Little Backstory:
Locally here in Minneapolis, you can buy a whole roaster chicken for about $6. And you'll get one meal each day of the work week out of it. Here's how this might play out:
Monday - Just out-of-the-oven roasted chicken breast with vegetables
Tuesday - BBQ chicken breast sandwich
Wednesday - Salad with shredded chicken
Thursday - Chicken soup (broth with easy fixings - I have a recipe on this site)
Friday - Screw it, I'm tired, I'm going to make microwave chicken-nachos for dinner
If you get tired of chicken by Friday, freeze the shredded poultry and you'll be ready to toss it in that quesadilla or pasta dish next time.
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