From stuffing and roasting to baking and searing, there are millions of ways to prepare chicken. You might think you’ve tasted them all, but have you tried butterflied roast chicken? No? Let me expand your cookbook. Butterflying involves removing the backbone, which flattens the meat and lets it bake quickly and evenly. It also makes serving a breeze.
This scrumptious recipe coats the chicken with a flavorful mixture of rosemary, olive oil, garlic, and zesty spices. The chicken meat absorbs incredible flavor and aroma while roasting to perfection on a bed of lemon wedges and garlic cloves. Our Butterflied Lemon Roast Chicken requires very little prep time. It’s a fabulous weeknight dinner on busy days!
1. Butterflied Lemon Roast Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 pounds whole chicken
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 8 garlic cloves 4 cloves minced and 4 peeled but left whole
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon rosemary minced
- 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 lemons cut into wedges
- 2 whole rosemary sprigs
Instructions
Set oven rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Butterfly chicken by placing chicken breast-side down on clean countertop or cutting board. Starting at the bottom, cut along the spine with sharp kitchen scissors on both sides. Discard the spine. Flip the chicken over and lay it open. The chicken skin should be facing up.
Combine olive oil, garlic, paprika, minced rosemary, salt, and pepper to make a rub. Loosen chicken skin a little at a time. Use hands to spread the rub between meat and skin.
Place four whole garlic cloves and four lemon wedges on a parchment-lined or nonstick baking sheet. Place butterflied chicken, skin-side up, on top of the wedges and cloves. Add remaining lemon wedges between legs and body.
Place baking sheet in oven and roast for 50 to 60 minutes, until juices run clear and a meat thermometer inserted between the breast and thigh reads at least 175 degrees F. Remove skin and cut into pieces to serve. Enjoy!
