Christmas Roasted Spatchock Chicken with Root Veggies + Pesto

Spatchcock chicken is all the rage and trending everywhere currently (for good reasons!) Flattening out your whole chicken creates a crispy skin AND perfectly roasted juicy chicken meat.

It’s easier to prevent overcooking when you spatchcock a chicken because everything is laid flat so it cooks more evenly.

This was my first time using the Spatchcock method and it definitely will not be my last!

It was so good!

I watched several videos on how to Spatchcock a chicken on YouTube until I felt comfortable with the method and understood exactly where to cut. I definitely recommend hopping on YouTube and watching a few different people Spatchcock a chicken. I found it rather entertaining

What is Baby Corn?!

Baby corn is basically the immature corn that farmers harvest when they are only 2 to 3 inches. You can eat baby corn in its entirety, cob and all. They make for an interesting mild-tasting ingredient to add to a roast chicken.

Try this with our Homemade Pesto Recipe.

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 medium-large whole chicken
• 2 Tbsps olive oil or avocado oil, divided
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 lb butternut squash diced into 1” cubes
• 1 large sweet potato or yam diced into 1” cubes
• 1 whole red onion, chopped
• 6 ozs baby corn
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 4 sprigs of fresh Rosemary
• 1 fresh lemon halved
• 1/2 cup pesto
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

Remove the chicken from its packaging and place it in a large-rimmed tray.

Pat the chicken completely dry on all sides including inside with paper towels then rub liberally with sea salt all over including under the skin, cover, and allow it to sit in the fridge for at least an hour or overnight. This step helps create crispy flavorful skin by drying it out.

Remove your chicken from the fridge and allow it to almost come to room temperature for about 20-30 minutes before roasting.

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees f.

In a large roasting tray throw in your baby corn, lemon halves, sweet potato, diced butternut, onions, 1 Tablespoon of oil, a few sprigs of rosemary, garlic, sea salt, and black pepper – toss everything together very well.

Spatchcock your chicken:

Lay the chicken breast-side down on a large cutting board. Use a VERY sharp knife or kitchen shear for this step.

Cut down either side of the spine, then repeat on the other side. Discard the spine.

Flip the chicken back over then press firmly and evenly on the collarbone and down the center to flatten the bird.

Lay your chicken breast-side up (cut side down) on top of the prepared veggies in your tray. Rub the outside of the bird with the remaining 1 Tablespoon of oil then rub with garlic powder.

Roast in your preheated oven for 20 mins then drop the temperature to 400 degrees f. for an additional 25-35 minutes or just until the juices run clear when cut and the internal thermometer reads 165 degrees f.

Remove the chicken from the tray and allow meat to rest covered loosely for 10 minutes before carving while you finish the veggies in the tray.

Finish the veggies:

Squeeze lemon juice from the now caramelized lemon all over the vegetables then add in your pesto, stirring very well then return the veggie tray to the oven for 10 minutes until nicely roasted.

Serve your pesto-roasted vegetables and carved chicken together and enjoy!

Rachel

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