Cast Iron Spatchock Chicken with Braised Onions

Cast Iron Spatchcock Chicken with Braised Onions

5 from 1 vote

Cast Iron Spatchock Chicken with Braised Onions

Cast Iron Spatchcock Chicken is one of my favorite ways to roast a chicken. One pot, with sweet braised onions & herb butter in every juicy flavorful bite. This one skillet chicken dinner is easy and delicious.

Prep Time20

Cook Time37

Rest Time17

Total Time1

Servings: people

Author: Sam Maccini

Equipment

1 12 inch or large cast iron skillet

Ingredients

4 llb whole chicken or already spatchcocked chicken
2 lbs yellow onions sliced length wise & in ½ inch slices
4 tbs unsalted butter room temp or softened
kosher salt
fresh cracked pepper
¾ tbsp fresh rosemary chopped fine
½ tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

Instructions

See Step 2 if you know how to spatchcock a chicken: I love to buy already-spatchcocked chicken. You can even ask a butcher to do it for you! If you are spatchcocking yourself:
- Place chicken breast-side down with the wings/ neck facing towards you. use sharp kitchen shears to remove the spine: Cut through the ribs along both sides of the spine until you completely cut out spine. Discard the spine or save for chicken stock. Open the rib cage like a book & flip chicken over.
- Breast side of chicken is up now, legs facing you. Press firmly on the breast bone to flatten. See blog post above if you need more help.
Preheat Oven to 400°: Remove chicken from fridge and let sit up to 30 minutes on the counter (I like to give it at least 30). It is much easier to work with at room temp than very cold. Pat dry with paper towels and let sit on a cutting board while you make the herb butter.
Make Herb Butter: In a small dish add softened butter, rosemary & thyme. Mix until incorporated. Cut your onions and place them in the cast iron pan. Set aside.
Rub Herb Butter into Kitchen: Loosen the skin of the chicken gently with your hands OR with a small rubber spatula. Use your thumb or fingers to separate the skin from the meat at the thigh/drum stick and breast area. Spread ⅔ of mixture under the chicken skin (i like to use a small rubber spatula to shove the butter in there and then press it in with my hans). Rub any remaining butter all over the outside chicken skin.
Season Chicken: Sprinkle salt generously all over both sides of the chicken and the onions in the cast iron. Place chicken on top of the onions in the cast iron skillet.
Roast Chicken & Onions: Roast chicken uncovered 35-45 minutes or until a thermometer reads 160° when testing the breast (175-180 in the thigh usually). Remove from oven and let rest 5-10 minutes. Carefully remove chicken and let it finish resting 15 more minutes on a cutting board.
Finish braising onions: Toss the onions and carefully return the cast iron with onions back into the oven whole chicken rests so onions can finish cooking in chicken juices. They should be brown, caramelized and sweet when finished *may take anywhere from 10-20 more minutes while chicken rests*

Notes

*Kosher Salt: I always use Diamond Kosher salt which is less salty than Morton Kosher Salt. Consider this when adding your salt! I do not give measurements for that reason.

Nutrition