Flatten the bird, crank up the grill and let the citrusy garlic marinade do the heavy lifting on this crispy-skinned summer stunner.
Photo by Iuliia Nedrygailova
Serves 4–6
1 small fryer (3 pounds), spatchcocked
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice (about ½ lemon)
2 garlic cloves, grated
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon fresh coarse-ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning or herbes de Provence
2 lemons, halved, for garnish
Pat dry chicken and place on a large sheet pan. In a small bowl, combine oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning. Rub seasoning all over chicken, gently loosening the breast skin and rubbing the seasoning under the skin.
Allow chicken to marinate while grill is heating to medium-high, and brush grill with oil. Grill chicken, skin side down, over direct heat until grill marks form and skin is crispy brown, about 20 minutes. Flip and cook, skin side up, until that side is brown and crispy, about another 20 minutes. (Cook longer if chicken is bigger). Move chicken to indirect heat side of grill and continue to cook until temperature on an instant-read thermometer reaches 160–165 F. Remove from grill, place on a platter or cutting board and cover loosely with foil. The heat generated from grilling will continue to cook the chicken until it reaches 165 F, about 10 minutes. Grill lemons, cut side down, until grill marks form. Cut chicken into desired pieces. Serve on platter with grilled lemon halves.
Chef’s tip: How to spatchcock a chicken
Spatchcocking a chicken allows it to cook more evenly throughout the thigh and breast areas. Using a sturdy pair of kitchen shears, remove the backbone from the chicken by cutting down each side of the backbone from top to bottom. Open the chicken up, like a book, and flip over onto a clean cutting board. Holding the heel of your palm over the breast of the chicken, press down firmly to crack the breastbone (also known as the sternum) so the chicken will lie flat. (Alternatively, ask your butcher to do this for you.)
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Get grillin’ with great new summertime recipes—It’s time to start thinking outside the house—summer’s all about outdoor fun and relaxation! Fire up the grill and just wait until the neighbors come wandering over for a taste.