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Suya-Spiced Spatchcocked Roasted Chicken

Suya-Spiced Spatchcocked Roasted Chicken

By Hisham Ali HassanDecember 19, 2024

  • Makes
    4 servings
  • Cook Time
    1½ hours
  • Active time plus cooling
    30 minutes active
  • Rating

Splayed and spiced! We gave roast chicken the suya treatment—a bold seasoning rub of ground peanuts, hot paprika, brown sugar, garlic and ginger inspired by West African grilled beef skewers. Spatchcocking the bird—cutting out the backbone and flattening the chicken—makes for fast, even cooking and browning. Prep otherwise is minimal, and most ingredients you probably already have in the pantry. Combining the peanuts and spices with softened butter allowed us to spread the mixture both under and over the skin, yielding a crisp exterior and loads of flavor.

Tip

Don’t over-process the peanuts. Stop once they are finely ground but still visible in the spice mix. If over-processed, the mixture will become paste-like, making it hard to spread. Small chunks of peanut also add nice texture to the bird’s exterior.

Ingredients
  • ½

    cup dry-roasted peanuts

  • 2

    teaspoons hot paprika or 1¾ teaspoons sweet paprika plus ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

  • 1½

    teaspoons packed brown sugar

  • 1

    teaspoon ground ginger

  • 1

    teaspoon granulated garlic

  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper

  • 6

    tablespoons salted butter, room temperature

  • 4

    pound whole chicken

  • Lime wedges, to serve

Step 1

Heat the oven to 425°F with a rack in the middle position. Set a wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet. In a food processor, combine the peanuts, paprika, sugar, ginger, garlic, 1½ teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Pulse until the peanuts are finely ground, about twenty 3-second pulses. Transfer to a small bowl. Stir in the butter; set aside.

Step 2

Place the chicken breast down on a cutting board. Using sturdy kitchen shears, cut along both sides of the backbone, end to end; remove and discard. Spread open the chicken, then turn it breast up. Using the heel of your hand, press down firmly on the thickest part of the breast until the wishbone snaps.

Step 3

With your fingers, carefully loosen the skin from the meat on the breasts and thighs. Using a spoon, distribute about half of the butter mixture under the skin, then massage to evenly spread. Transfer the chicken to the prepared rack, skin up. Tuck the wing tips to the back, then evenly spread the remaining butter mixture onto the chicken.

Step 4

Roast until well browned and the thickest part of the thighs reaches 175°F, about 45 minutes. Let the chicken rest for 15 minutes, then carve and arrange on a platter. Serve with lime wedges.