Spatchcocking chicken helps it to roast more evenly and much more quickly, giving you perfectly tender, juicy meat, and all the skin gets golden and crisp. Plus, it’s easier to serve. We roast our bird over thinly sliced orange rounds, adding a touch of sweet and a bit of sour. It’s slathered with a wet rub of fresh herbs, making it extra fragrant and flavorful.
- Overall cook time:
- 60 - 70 minutes
- Inactive cook time:
- 25 - 35 minutes
- Servings:
- 3 - 4
Ingredients
- 1 Pasture-Raised Spatchcock Chicken (about 3 - 4 pounds)
- 2 Oranges, thinly sliced into rounds
- 1 Yellow Onion, halved and sliced 1/4-inch-thick
- 4 - 6 Stems Fresh Thyme
- 2 TB Butter, melted
- Olive Oil
- Salt & Pepper to taste
Savory Wet Rub
- 1 tsp Orange Zest
- 3 TB Light Brown Sugar
- 2 TB Fresh Sage Leaves, finely chopped
- 2 TB Fresh Thyme Leaves, finely chopped
- 1 TB Fresh Rosemary Leaves, finely chopped
- 1 TB Sherry Vinegar
- ½ TB Worcestershire Sauce
Garnish: Fresh Herbs
Chef Tip! Rubbing the sugar and orange zest together releases the essential oils into the sugar for a big flavor boost.
Instructions
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Make the Savory Wet Rub
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Preheat the oven to 450°F.
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In a bowl, combine the sugar and orange zest. Using your fingers, rub the sugar and orange zest together.
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Add the sage, thyme and rosemary leaves, garlic, 1 tablespoon salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, sherry vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and 1⁄4 cup olive oil. Stir to thoroughly combine. The rub should resemble a rough paste.
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Prepare the Pan
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Line a high-sided sheet pan with parchment paper. Scatter the whole thyme stems and sliced onion onto the sheet pan and cover with overlapping orange slices.
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Prepare the Chicken
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Place the chicken, skin-side down, on top of the onion and brush or rub with half of the savory wet rub. Flip the chicken over, skin-side-up, and pat very dry with paper towels. Brush or rub with the remaining wet rub.
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Roast & Baste the Chicken
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Roast the seasoned chicken for 25 to 30 minutes.
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Brush the roasted chicken with the melted butter every 5 minutes, until browned and cooked through with an internal temperature of 160°F. Remove from the oven.
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Loosely cover with aluminum foil and set aside to rest for 15 minutes.
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Transfer the roasted chicken, onion, and orange slices to a serving dish. Garnish with fresh herbs, if desired.
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Chef Tip! It may be tempting, but don’t skip this super easy step. Resting the roasted chicken before carving allows the juices to reabsorb into the meat’s muscle fibers. This ensures moist and juicy meat, instead of a mess of juices flowing out onto your cutting board.
