Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken
- 1 lb. multi colored baby carrots
- 2 large potatoes
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 Tbsp. salted butter
- 1 tsp. paprika
- salt and pepper
- fresh thyme
Directions
Wash the carrots and trim the stem ends. Wash and chop potatoes into bite sized pieces. In a large roasting pan drizzle olive oil and toss the carrots and potatoes until evenly coated. Season with salt and pepper.
Roast at 350 for 30 minutes while you prepare the chicken. (I cannot tell you how often I end up with slightly crunchy potatoes and carrots. Get them going!)
Remove any giblets, then wash the chicken inside and out with cold water. Pat dry with paper towels. There are dozens of tutorials online for how to spatchcock a chicken. The gist is, cut out the spine and break the breastbone in order to flatten out the meat for a more even roast. From my experience, I prefer to start cuts on either side of the spine with good kitchen shears, then turn the bird up on one end and slice down the side of the spine with a heavy chef’s knife. Repeat on the opposite side of the spine. I think a lot of this has to do with your tools and personal preference.
After the spine is removed turn the bird breast side up, place your palms where the breastbone is and give it a good crack. Your bird will lie flat now.
Melt one tablespoon of butter and mix in one teaspoon of paprika. (Regular, smoked, it doesn’t matter…this is just for color.)
Place the chicken on top of the mostly cooked carrots and potatoes and brush on the paprika butter. Season heavily with salt and pepper, then place in a 350 degree oven for one hour or so. (The and so depends heavily on the size of your bird. Spatchcocking speeds up the roasting time, but only by 20 minutes or so. I normally roast a 6 pound bird for an hour and a half minimum.)
Once you have the color and crispiness you desire, let the dish rest for 15 minutes. Garnish with fresh thyme and serve.
**Serves 4
Wine Pairing Suggestion
Bota Box Nighthawk Gold Vibrant Sauvignon Blanc
With A Glass Of Wine 