Spatchcocked (Butterflied) Roast Chicken with Quick Jus

Evenly roasted chicken with crisp skin and backbone jus

• 4-6 servings
• Prep 15 min
• Cook 45-50 min
• American / technique-driven

Source: Workbook sheet «Печено пиле» + Serious Eats

Ingredients

• 1 large chicken, about 1.8-2.3 kg (4-5 lb)
• 2 Tbsp (30 ml) light olive oil or neutral oil, divided
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp (5 g) baking powder (optional, for extra-crisp skin)
• 2 tsp (10 g) chopped fresh herbs (optional)
• 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 medium celery rib, roughly chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup (240 ml) dry vermouth or dry sherry
• 1 cup (240 ml) water
• 1 tsp (5 ml) soy sauce
• 3 Tbsp (45 g) unsalted butter
• 2 tsp (10 ml) lemon juice

Method

1. Preheat oven to 230 C / 450 F, rack upper-middle. Remove backbone with shears; cut into 5-6 pieces. Flatten bird by pressing breastbone until it cracks. Tuck wings. Place on rack in foil-lined sheet.
2. Optional: loosen skin and push herbs under breast and thighs.
3. Mix 1 Tbsp kosher salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, baking powder if using. Season all over. Drizzle 1 Tbsp oil. Roast until breast near bone is 66 C / 150 F and thighs ~80 C / 175 F, about 45 min.
4. Jus: brown backbone in remaining oil ~3 min. Add onion, carrot, celery; brown lightly. Add bay leaf; deglaze with vermouth and water. Simmer 20 min. Strain; reduce to ~80 ml. Off heat whisk in soy, butter, lemon. Season.
5. Rest chicken 5 min under foil; carve; serve with hot jus.

Spatchcocking evens cooking so breasts stay juicy.
Baking powder in the salt rub boosts crispness.
Sheet held only the Serious Eats URL; reconstructed from Kenji Lopez-Alt.