Pan roasted spatchcocked chicken

Chef Michael Hun
Palm Springs Surf Club, Palm Springs

Spatchcocking, which involves splitting and spreading a chicken prior to roasting it, is a game-changing skill. When a whole chicken is prepared this way, it cooks faster and gets crispier skin.

Ingredients

Chicken
1 whole chicken (about 4 lb., giblets removed)
2 tbsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
5 medium shallots
10 cloves garlic
1/4 lb. butter
1 lemon
1/4 cup neutral vegetable oil
10 sprigs thyme

Slow cooked shallots
8 medium shallots
2 tbsp. butter
1/8 tsp. salt
5 sprigs thyme

Charred lemon
3 lemons

Instructions

For chicken: Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Cut wings from chicken. Sit chicken straight up with the breast facing away. Using a very sharp knife, place the blade against the neck and drive the blade down along the spine all the way through.

Spread the back apart and score along the interior of the breastbone. Use your hands to push the back of the chicken apart until the breastbone pops and the chicken can lay flat on the breast side. Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper.

Slice shallots roughly. Crack garlic by pressing down on it with the flat of the knife blade. Cut butter into 1/2-inch chunks. Slice lemon into 1/4-inch rounds.

Heat a large ovenproof skillet over high heat. Add vegetable oil and heat until wisps of smoke appear. Gently place spatchcocked chicken breast/skin side down into the pan. Allow chicken to sear for 1 minute, then turn heat down to medium.

Arrange thyme, garlic, shallots and lemon on top of chicken. Place butter atop aromatics. Place entire skillet in a 350-degree oven. Cook chicken for 90 minutes or until juices run clear and internal temperature registers 160 degrees.

For shallots: Combine shallots and butter. Season with salt. Wrap shallot mix and thyme tightly in foil and place on a sheet pan in a 375-degree oven. Cook for 30 minutes or until shallots are fork-tender.

For lemon: Slice lemons in half and remove seeds using a paring knife. Heat a cast iron skillet on high heat until scorching hot. Place lemons cut face down in pan and allow to cook over high heat until lemons are charred on the cut face. Optional: Place lemons on a metal surface cut face up. Use a blowtorch to char cut faces.

To assemble: First portion the chicken. Remove thighs and legs from breasts by pulling them away from the frame of the chicken. Using a chef knife, cut directly down the centerline of the breast to split them, then cut each breast in half, going through the bone. Cut legs from thighs.

Arrange chicken parts on a serving dish. Arrange slow cooked shallots over top, drizzling the juices over the chicken. Arrange lemons around the dish.

Serves 4 to 6