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Butterflied roast chicken with potatoes

Spatchcocking, or butterflying a chicken allows the cooking time to reduce to only 45 minutes. It’s actually quite easy to do, then you just add some paste, marinade or sauce and it's ready to go in the oven. This butterflied roast chicken with potatoes is simply rubbed with a zesty, herby butter and baked in the oven. Serve it with roasted veggies or a green salad.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Resting Time 4 hours
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 1234
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 medium whole chicken
  • 2 lemons zested
  • 1 Tbsp chopped rosemary or thyme leaves
  • 50 g butter or dairy-free margarine
  • 2 cloves of garlic minced
  • Salt and pepper
  • 300 g new potatoes
  • 1 sprig thyme or rosemary
  • 1 onion

Method
 

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
  2. Using sharp kitchen scissors, remove the backbone of chicken. (Use this for a nice stock). Flatten the chicken by placing it skin-side up on a cutting board and pushing down the breastbone.
  3. Cut the potatoes and onion into rings then lay them in a large, lightly oiled baking tin. Season with salt and pepper. Lay the sprig of rosemary on top.
  4. Mix the butter/margarine with the chopped herbs, lemon zest and garlic, then season with salt and pepper. Rub the chicken with this mixture - all over it, under the skin, then crumble the rest on top of the potatoes.
  5. Transfer the chicken to a wire rack, facing skin-side upwards. Cut one lemon into thin rings and slide a few under the skin. Put the rest in the tin.
  6. Bake in the oven for about 45 minutes until golden.
  7. Drizzle with some lemon juice just before serving.