Butterflied Roast Chicken
- August 13, 2020
- by
- Teresa
A whole roasted chicken brings to mind a manor house dining room boasting flickering taper candles. A Lady hostess bears a dish laded with sparklingly crisp chicken, which is golden brown via sveltely scented olive oil. The guests are clothed in brocade and silk, and a trio spills music from behind a heavy curtain. The fleet of pointers rest in their kennels, and darkness has fallen on graceful lawns.
If you have friends with such a house, please invite me there for dinner! It would be such a dream come true.
In spite of being so inviting, a roasted bird that beautiful isn’t extremely hard to come up with. Add a little oil and some intense vegetables, and a perfect dinner for evening guests is well on its way.
- chicken
- sage
- olive oil
- salt & pepper
- potatoes
- onions
- garlic bulbs
A sharply crackling skin on chicken is one of the most mouthwatering moments I can think of – salty, crunchy, and most satisfying. Inside, the meat pulls away filled with flavor imparted by the garlic, onion, and sage. Whole garlic bulbs melt into supple lobes bursting with flavor. White onions turn translucent and soft, small potatoes relax into perfection, and sage leaves lift into shriveled effigies of themselves.
how to butterfly the chicken…
In order to procure a flaking crisp skin on our chicken, we need to turn the oven up fairly hot – to 425º Fahrenheit.
Lay a large cutting board on the counter, and place the chicken breast side down with the drumsticks facing you. Use a pair of sharp kitchen shears to cut closely along both sides of the backbone, then life out and discard it. Next, turn the chicken over and use the heels of your hands to press VERY firmly on the breastbone. You’ll need to press hard enough to crack it – so push! Once the bone cracks, you should be able to flatten the chicken quite a bit, and tuck the wingtips underneath the legs.
Move the chicken to a baking sheet. Brush the skin with olive oil, and sprinkle salt and pepper over everything. Arrange a few sage leaves on top. Bake for 15 minutes.
for the vegetables…
Take the onion and peel it. Chop it into large pieces, perhaps sixths or eighths. Scrub the little potatoes, and cut them in half if needed. Leaving the papery skin on the garlic bulbs, cut them in half horizontally. Add the vegetables and more sage to the baking sheet after the chicken has been baking for 15 minutes, then bake everything for another 20 or 30 minutes.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven, and carefully lift the golden deliciousness onto a pretty plate. Scoop the vegetables around the chicken, and carry the whole presentation into your dining room. Let the feasting begin!
you may also love…
- these Portobello Mushroom Burgers
- this Asian Noodle Bowl
- this Neapolitan Pizza
If you make this recipe, I want to know what you think! Leave a comment and give the recipe a rating, or let me know on Pinterest – hearing about your cooking adventures always makes my day!
Butterflied Roast Chicken
Ingredients //
- 1 5 lb Whole Chicken thawed
- Olive Oil for brushing
- Salt & Pepper
- 1 handful Fresh Sage Leaves
- 1 large White Onion chopped
- 10 small Potatoes
- 3 Bulbs Garlic whole
Instructions //
How to Butterfly the Chicken
- Preheat oven to 425° Fahrenheit.
- Place the chicken breast side down on a large cutting board with the drumsticks facing toward you.
- Using a sharp pair of kitchen shears, cut closely along both sides of the backbone and lift it out.
- Turn the chicken over and spread it out as much as you can.
- Press very firmly on the breastbone until it cracks and you can flatten the chicken.
- Place the chicken on a baking sheet, tucking the wingtips under the legs. Brush the skin with olive oil. Sprinkle salt and pepper over all. Top with a few sage leaves.
- Bake for 15 minutes, then add the vegetables.
For the Vegetables
- Chop the onion and the potatoes into rough pieces. Slice the garlic bulbs in half horizontally.
- After the chicken has been baking for 15 minutes, take it out of the oven and arrange the vegetables around it. Scatter more sage leaves on top of the veggies.
- Bake for 20-30 more minutes, until the chicken skin is a deep golden-brown, and a thermometer registers at least 165° Fahrenheit.
- To serve, place the chicken on a pretty plate and arrange the vegetables around it. I like to let guests carve their own portion of the chicken - Bon Appétit!
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