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Spatchcock Chicken with Roasted Vegetables

Matthew Raiford | June 16, 2021

Cast iron is a beautiful thing—​the evenness of the temperature, the telltale char. Spatchcock chicken is almost as lovable as cast-​iron cooking, because by laying the bird out, you get consistent surface contact and that GBD (golden, brown, delicious) skin in fewer than 20 minutes. You might even like spatchcock chicken more than fried chicken—​less work, fewer carbs and fats, and all goodness.

Level
Intermediate
Prep Time
20 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Serves
4
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Spatchcock Chicken with Roasted Vegetables

Ingredients

  • 1 5 to 7 pound whole chicken
  • 2 tablespoons sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon salt free vegetable pepper seasoning blend
  • 2 sprigs rosemary, leaves removed from stem and roughly chopped
  • 2 sprigs sage, leaves removed from stem and roughly chopped
  • 2 sprigs oregano, leaves removed from stem and roughly chopped
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 2 pounds sweet potatoes, skin on, large diced
  • ½ pound brussels sprouts, cut in half from the stem end
  • 1 large sweet onion, medium diced
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Wipe a 10-​to-12-​inch cast ​iron skillet with olive oil. 
  2. Wash and pat dry the whole chicken inside and out. Place the chicken on a cutting board breast side down with the neck area facing away from you. 
  3. Using a sharp and strong pair of kitchen shears, cut from the tail to the neck on one side of the backbone then repeat on the other side until the backbone is easy to remove. 
  4. Lay the chicken out flat and rub the salt and vegetable-pepper seasoning blend generously on the inside of the chicken, then scatter half of the rosemary, sage, and oregano over the inside.
  5. Flip over the chicken, breast side up, and rub the skin with 1 tablespoon of the coconut oil. Follow with the remaining salt, pepper, and herbs.
  6. In a large bowl, toss together the sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts, onion, and garlic with the remaining coconut oil. 
  7. Place the vegetables in a single layer in the cast ​iron skillet, then set the flattened chicken evenly across the top of the vegetables. 
  8. Place the chicken in the oven and roast for 20 minutes or until the thick portion of the chicken registers 165°F and the vegetables are fork-​tender. Remove the pan from the oven and allow the juices to redistribute before serving.
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Contributed By: Matthew Raiford

Matthew Raiford grew up breaking the dirt and trading crookneck squash for sweet potatoes, raising hogs and chickens, and only going to the grocery store for sundries. After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, Raiford he returned to the farm in 2011 to continue the traditions of his Gullah-Geechee heritage and to create an authentic farm-to-fork experience for locals. He and his sister, Althea, run Gilliard Farms, an organic farm that was first established in 1874 for their great great great grandfather, Jupiter Gilliard. Raiford has appeared in Southern Living, Golden Isles, Paprika Southern, Garden & Gun, and Savannah magazines, and is a frequent presenter at food and wine festivals throughout the country.

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