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Red Chili Spatchcocked Roast Chicken

Red Chili Spatchcocked Roast Chicken

  • Makes
    4 servings
  • Cook Time
    1 hour 45 minutes
  • Active time plus cooling
    30 minutes active
  • Rating

How to cook a whole chicken quickly and evenly? Remove its backbone and flatten the bird—a technique called spatchcocking or butterflying. Our next challenge was adding flavor that doesn't stop at the skin. Our solution was to slide a chili-herb-spice mixture between the skin and meat. Our flavoring rub was based on a classic adobado, a seasoning common in Mexican cooking, revamped for indoor cooking without a long marination. Roasting and coarsely grinding the dried chilies before rehydrating them meant we could use less water, giving the resulting chili paste deeper flavor.

Tip

Don‘t burn the chilies. They should be fragrant and slightly darkened, but once they turn black and smell acrid, they've gone too far.

Ingredients
  • ¼

    cup grapeseed or other neutral oil

  • 2

    ounces whole dried ancho chilies, stemmed and seeded

  • ⅔

    cup water

  • 1

    tablespoon dried oregano, Mexican if available

  • 2

    garlic cloves, smashed

  • 2

    tablespoons packed light brown sugar

  • 1

    tablespoon cider vinegar

  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper

  • ½

    teaspoon ground cumin

  • ¼

    teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • 1

    3½- to 4-pound whole chicken, backbone cut out

  • ¼

    cup lime juice, plus lime wedges to serve

  • Warmed corn tortillas, to serve (optional)

Step 1

Heat the oven to 375ºF with a rack in the middle position. In a 12-inch cast-iron or stainless-steel skillet over medium-high, heat the oil until shimmering.

Add the chilies and toast until lightly browned, about 20 seconds per side. Transfer the chilies to a food processor, reserving the pan and oil, and process until coarsely chopped, about 30 seconds.

In a small saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Add the chilies, oregano and garlic then cover, remove from heat and let sit for 15 minutes.

Step 2

In the food processor, combine the sugar, vinegar, 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, cumin, cinnamon and 2 tablespoons of the reserved chili oil.

Add the chili-water mixture and process until smooth, about 1 minute, scraping the bowl as needed. Reserve a third of the mixture, about 5 tablespoons.

Step 3

With the breast side up, flatten the chicken by pressing on the center of the breast with your palms. Carefully lift the skin from the meat of the breast and legs, avoiding tears. Spoon the remaining chili paste under the skin of the breasts, thighs and drumsticks, pressing the skin to evenly distribute.

Rub the skin of the chicken with the remaining reserved chili oil, then season with salt and pepper. Tuck the wing tips under the breasts, then place the chicken breast side up in the empty skillet. Transfer to the oven and roast until the breast registers 160ºF, 45 to 50 minutes.

Step 4

Transfer the chicken to a carving board, tent with foil and let rest for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, place the empty skillet over medium heat, then add the reserved chili paste and lime juice and cook until warmed through. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Carve the chicken, adding any juices to the sauce, and serve with the sauce, lime wedges and warmed tortillas, if desired.

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