My chicken is waving, “Hi, guys!”
I picked up a chicken the other day for a reasonable price. Whenever I go to a grocery store, I have to put things back that are too expensive and pivot.
I never made a spatchcock chicken on the bbq grill before, so this was my chance. I looked up several recipes and found one to try.
I watched a quick YouTube video on how to spatchcock a chicken. It was much easier than I thought it would be.
I laid the chicken on a cooking rack on a sheet pan. I salted it and put it into the refrigerator, uncovered for 24 hours. This ensures a crispy skin on the chicken.
The next day, I made the dry rub suggested in the recipe and rubbed it all over the chicken. Next, I inserted a bbq meat thermometer probe.
Marty built the fire since I can’t breathe in any smoke anymore. When it was ready, he put the spatchcocked chicken on the grill.
The recipe said to pull the chicken off the grill at precisely 165 degrees, then let it rest. It specifically said not to grill longer than the correct temperature.
I carved the chicken and was pretty pleased with its appearance on the pan. It was very juicy and moist.
Marty made smashed potatoes on the flattop grill, which were so good! I made a broccoli salad, which is our favorite.
The chicken was moist af, but that stupid ass rub ruined the skin. It turned bitter as hell. So bitter we had to peel the skin off.
When this happens when I follow someone’s recipe exactly (which doesn’t happen often for this very reason), and it turns out bad, I want to hunt this person down.
The chicken had a slightly smoky taste and was delicious, minus the gross skin situation.
Marty’s magical potatoes.
The meal was well-balanced and super tasty. The potatoes? They were my favorite!
They were crispy on the outside and like fluffy mashed potatoes inside. I used to make these in the oven, but now they are Marty’s job since he does them so well.
Potatoes have always been my favorite ever since I can remember. It made a lot of sense When I learned I am 74% Irish. Since I was a kid, I have loved baked, roasted, boiled, scalloped, au gratin, and french fries.
A couple of days later, on another rainy and gloomy day. I took the leftover chicken off the bone and made the best chicken and biscuits; ever! I make the same chicken, gravy, and veggies when I make pot pies too.
When I was teaching myself how to cook, I used the original Betty Crocker recipe in my mother’s cookbook that she got as a shower gift. I think she made a valiant effort to learn to cook as a newlywed, but that didn’t last long because she hated cooking and the clean-up.
Now, when I make chicken with gravy and veggies, I use fresh vegetables and sauté them first to build flavor, plus lots of fresh herbs and seasonings to make it my own. Having delicious chicken is also a must.
I served the chicken with biscuits on the side and buttered Trader Joe’s gluten-free fresh fettuccine.
My chicken and biscuits were good before, but this? Holy shit, it was over-the-top delicious. What made the difference was the slight smoke on the chicken.
It was a game-changer! I’ve always used leftover roasted chicken, but not anymore. Plus, the chicken cooked in half the time spatchcocked on the grill.
What will I change the next time I make spatchcocked chicken? No rub! I’ll do everything the same, except seasoning the chicken with kosher salt & pepper.
You can spatchcock a chicken and roast it in the oven, which I will do in the wintertime to save time and get crispy skin, not just on top of the chicken.
I can end by telling you this: I will never roast a whole chicken the traditional way again. Period.