Butterflied Roast Chicken: the recipe for a succulent and irresistible dish

Butterflied roast chicken is a main dish recipe very popular because of its cooking method. A weight (for example a steel pot full of water) is placed on the chicken, so that the internal meat will be soft and succulent, while the skin will be crisp and golden brown. So, just bake the chicken in the oven by placing a steel pot full of water on it, so as to crush it well and still obtain an impeccable final result.

So let’s find out how to make it by following our recipe step by step and serve it at a nice Sunday lunch with the family or a dinner with friends, accompanied by the inevitable baked potatoes and a fresh and colorful salad.

Tips

It is advisable to buy a free-range chicken and to avoid those coming from intensive farming; so ask your trusted butcher to prepare the chicken, removing the back bone and opening it like a book.

To bake the chicken, you can use a special earthenware pan or the trick proposed in our recipe, that is a steel pot full of water.

You can use the aromatic herbs you prefer or, for greater convenience, even a ready-made seasoning for meat. You can also add spices, such as pepper, sweet or smoked paprika, which will give the chicken a strong and pleasantly spicy taste, and also flavor with garlic.

For a tender and tasty meat, you can massage the chicken and let it rest for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator, or let it to flavor in a marinade made with oil, lemon juice, aromatic herbs, white wine or beer.

How to store Butterflied Roast Chicken

The baked flat chicken can be stored in the refrigerator, in a special airtight container, for a maximum of 1-2 days.

How to make Butterflied Roast Chicken

Cut the chicken at breast height, remove the entrails and open it like a book, flattening it gently. Remove any remaining feathers, then wash it and pat it dry with absorbent kitchen paper.

Season it with a drizzle of oil and sprinkle it with your hands (2).

Add the aromatic herbs, finely chopped, and massage well (3). Turn the chicken over and season with more oil and herbs. Finally sprinkle with a pinch of salt.

Wash the lemons and cut them into slices. Arrange them on a baking sheet and arrange the chicken on top (4).

Place a steel pot full of water on top so that it can crush the chicken well (5). Bake at 450° F and cook for 35-40 minutes (convection oven and grill), or in any case until the chicken is golden brown and crisp.

After the baking time, take the chicken out of the oven, transfer it to a serving dish and serve (6).