Butterflied Herb-Smash Chicken
A featured Wine Club recipe for Serenity Vineyards.
Description
Enjoy this delicious meal with your Serenity Chardonnay or Syrah!
Yield: 4Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 35 Minutes
Ingredients
• 1 whole roasting chicken
• 1 tablespoon grey sea salt or favorite coarse cooking salt
• 12 whole pepper corns
• Paprika to sprinkle
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper (whole if using mortar and pestle)
• 2 teaspoon grey sea salt or favorite coarse cooking salt
• 4 large cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary
• 1 tablespoon fresh marjoram
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon dried red chili flakes
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
Prepare the Herb-Smash:
Finely chop the herbs. In a mortar and pestle, rub the sea salt together with the peppercorns until reduced to a coarse grind. Put in the garlic cloves and pound to break, then smash them into a paste with the salt and pepper. Add the herbs and pepper flakes and just enough olive oil to form a thick, rough paste. Put aside. If using a small food processor, use pre-ground pepper and place all ingredients in the bowl of the processor, drizzling in just enough olive oil to achieve the consistency of a thick pesto.
Prepare the Chicken:
Rinse chicken in cold water and pat dry. With breast side down and tail toward you, cut along one side of the backbone with heavy kitchen shears. Cut along the other side of the backbone and remove it. Turn the chicken over, breast side up (legs towards you, wings away from you) and flatten the chicken with the palm of your hand. Tuck wing tips back and underneath the
“shoulders” of the chicken. Cut 3/4 inch slits on each side of the breast about an inch up from the bottom edge of the chicken and tuck the ends of the legs. Slip your fingers under the skin and loosen the chicken skin over the breasts, thighs, drumsticks and wings as much as possible. Generously pack the area between the meat and skin with the herb smash, distributing evenly. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and paprika to taste.
Oven Roasting:
Preheat oven to 500 degrees, place chicken on broiler tray or other oven-proof pan, skin side up. Roast until juices run clear and skin is brown and crispy, about 30-35 minutes. Serve with Couscous, rice, garlic mash potatoes and assorted steamed vegetables
Original recipe from Alison Crowe
