Lemon Herb Roasted Spatchcock Chicken

Today's post is a bit different :)

I had a request to show how I made a chicken that I had posted on Instagram, so let me know if you want more content like this.

4.5 lb heritage/organic whole chicken

1 large lemon or 2 small lemons

Oregano, Thyme, Paprika, Garlic Powder, Salt, Pepper

Kitchen Shears/Scissors

A sheet pan large enough to hold the spatchcock chicken. I used a 13" x 10" pan which fits in my toaster oven, but you may use a large sheet pan if you are using your regular oven.

Meat Thermometer

Glove for at least one hand if you do not want to wash your hands throughout the preparation process.

Heat your oven to 375 F (if you have a convection oven set it to convection).

Set timer to 40 minutes (it will need about 20 more minutes, but 40 minutes is a good time to test the internal temperature with your meat thermometer).

Slice your lemon or lemons into 1/2" slices and place on your sheet pan in a "T" shape. After you spatchcock your chicken, you will be laying it on top of the lemon slices with each of the breasts splayed out over the top part of the "T".

If you are using a glove, put it on your non dominant hand so that you can hold on to the raw chicken while using the kitchen shears with your dominant hand, cut along the side of the back bone of the chicken, starting at the butt all the way to the neck. 

Repeat on the other side

until the entire backbone is completely cut and you can remove the backbone. You may use the backbone for soup or discard.

Snip the breastbone 

so that you may splay the chicken completely flat.

Using your dominant hand (which has not touched the raw chicken) or after washing your hands in warm soapy water, generously cover the inside of the spatchocked chicken with all the seasoning and herbs (about 1.5 tsp of each)

It should look something like this:

Put the herbed and seasoned side down on the lemon slices along with any giblets you want to roast. Dry the skin with a paper towel (this will help keep the skin crisp). Tuck the wing tips under the wings.

Cover the skin side generously with all the same seasoning and herbs (about 1.5 tsp of each).

Check the internal temperature of the breasts after 40 minutes. Turn the sheet pan 180 degrees and keep roasting until the internal temperature reaches a minimum of 160 F which should take another 20 minutes. Allow the chicken to rest at least 20 minutes before carving and serving so that the temperature can carryover another 5 degrees and the juices will stay intact. Squeeze out any lemon juice from the lemons into the pan and scrap all the drippings and lemon juice into a bowl. You can spoon this over the carved chicken before you serve.

Bon Appétit!

La Jolla and Solano Beach Stopover

A friend of a friend was performing in Love All at the La Jolla Playhouse last month, so I not only saw a wonderful play, but I also got to meet a fantastic young woman. 

The trip was also a nice excuse to visit some new places in La Jolla and Solano Beach since I had not been to either in over a decade! 

For dinner before the show, Piatti was nearby the Playhouse and highly recommended. Because traffic was so slow on the freeway, we were a bit tight on time for the show, so we let the servers know and they not only sent everything out very fast, but even split all our dishes for us before presenting our plates. Their freshly baked bread was very tempting with the balsamic and olive oil dip, but we somehow managed to eat only two pieces each before our dinner arrived.

We split a caesar salad $14 (below is a half portion) that was fresh and nicely dressed.

We also split the fritto misto for $22 that included shrimp, calamari, asparagus, and shaved fennel. This could easily have been an entrée for one.

We also split the veal piccata $34 (half a portion pictured below) with lovely spinach and what they called mushroom risotto cakes that I found bland. I chose a lovely glass of  the Niklas Italian sauvignon blanc for $15 and we finished in plenty of time to make the opening curtain! 

After a watching the very educational and inspiring play, I spent the night in Solano Beach and headed to breakfast the following morning at Madeleine. They offered classic French staples, so I started with an oat milk cappuccino for $4

and chose the spinach and goat cheese quiche of the day with a side salad for $18. It was a marvelously light and creamy way to start the day.

My friend got the chicken pesto omelet for $18 and throughly enjoyed it.

The Design District of Solano Beach was a perfect place to take a stroll after breakfast. I stopped by Lofty Coffee for a perfect oat milk latte to sustain myself for the drive back to Los Angeles.