Carving Knife

Have An Easy And Elegant Dinner Of Spatchcock Chicken

If there is an occasion for which you need a special dinner idea, consider preparing a spatchcock chicken. This dish with its unusual name may sound hard to do, but in reality it could hardly be easier. Whatever the occasion is, whether a family meal or a company affair, chicken cooked in this manner will bring praise from all.

A chicken that is spatchcocked is just a chicken that has been butterflied. The best chicken for this recipe is a very fresh and young one. Your butcher will be happy to butterfly the chicken for you when you buy it. But if you are interested in learning how to do it yourself, you will find that it is not difficult.

To perform a spatchcock, you will need a pair of poultry shears. Sometimes this implement is included in the larger and more elaborate kitchen knife sets, or you may need to buy it separately. It really is a handy tool to have in the kitchen for a variety of tasks, so you will find it money well spent.

Put the chicken on a cutting board in front of you, breast side down against the board. Using the shears, cut alongside the backbone, cutting right through the ribs, on both sides of the backbone, along the entire length of the chicken. Lift the backbone piece free, to be discarded or saved for making stock or used in another recipe.

Turn the chicken over, so the breast side is now up, pulling the sides apart where you removed the backbone. Press down on the breastbone with the heel of your hand until it breaks along its entire length, and the chicken can be flattened. You may wish to do this a day ahead and marinate the chicken overnight in the refrigerator using a marinade of your choice.

When you are ready to start cooking the chicken, place it into a roasting pan with the breast side facing up. Make sure the pan is big enough to contain the flattened bird. The chicken should be roasted for about 50 minutes in an oven set to 375 F. Test for doneness by taking the temperature of the thickest part of a thigh, which should measure about 165 F. Cooked this way, the chicken should be well browned and very juicy in all parts, including the breast.

Allow the chicken to rest for a couple of minutes, then proceed to cut it into serving pieces with a carving knife. A good knife set, such as a Wusthof knife set, will usually include a carving knife that will do an excellent job for you. Arrange the chicken pieces on a service platter and garnish as you like. You will enjoy your elegant creation as much as the compliments that will go along with it.

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