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    Home » Recipes » Paleo Recipes

    Butterflied Roasted Chicken Recipe

    Last Modified: Jan 18, 2023 by Paleo Leaper · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

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    The latest fashion in turkey roasting this Thanksgiving was butterflying the bird (cutting out the backbone and flattening the turkey to cook it more evenly), but if you missed the butterflied-turkey parade, you can still experiment with applying the same technique to a chicken.

    In fact, a chicken is even better to learn about since it’s not quite so huge and intimidating to handle and doesn’t take as long to cook.

    Butterflied Roasted Chicken

    The culinary theory behind butterflying is very simple: it allows the breasts and the legs to cook more evenly. With all the parts of the chicken at the same height, the heat in the oven will reach them more evenly.

    This way, you don’t get dried-out breasts or undercooked thighs; all the parts of the bird are done at the same time, and all the meat is juicy and delicious.

    One great thing about such guaranteed-delicious meat is that you don’t need to spend a lot of time fussing with the seasonings. All you need is a little rosemary, salt, and pepper, with some olive oil to crisp the skin and a sprinkle of lemon juice as it lands on your plate.

    For extra convenience, this recipe includes directions for roasting some vegetables in the same pan, making an entire family dinner ready to go with very minimal work.

    You can add sweet potatoes or whatever else you like to the vegetables or adjust the amounts to fit however many people you need to serve. And don’t forget to save the bones and the back for a big pot of bone broth to enjoy in soups, stews, and roasts later on!

    Butterflied Roasted Chicken Recipe

    SERVES: 4 PREP: 15 min COOK: 1 h

    Ingredients

    • 1 whole chicken, patted dry;
    • 3 tbsp. melted Paleo cooking fat;
    • 3 tbsp. fresh rosemary, finely chopped;
    • 2 onions, peeled and quartered;
    • 4 carrots, peeled and sliced;
    • 2 bell peppers, chopped;
    • 2 lemons, halved;
    • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste;
    Butterflied Roasted Chicken Recipe Preparation

    Preparation

    1. Preheat your oven to 400 F.
    2. Place the chicken, breast-side down, on a cutting board. Cut along both sides of the backbone from end to end with kitchen shears and remove the backbone. Flip the chicken breast side up, and open it like a book. Press firmly on the breasts with your palm to flatten them.
    3. Save the backbone for some homemade stock.
    4. In a small bowl, combine the cooking fat and 2 tablespoon of the rosemary.
    5. Rub the chicken with â…” of the fat/rosemary mixture and season the chicken to taste with sea salt and ground pepper.
    6. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil.
    7. Place the chicken on the baking sheet and surround it with the vegetables and the lemons.
    8. Pour the remaining fat/rosemary mixture over the vegetables and season to taste.
    9. Place the baking sheet in the oven and cook for 1 hour or until a meat thermometer reads 165 F in the thickest part of the breast.
    10. Remove the chicken from the oven, squeeze some lemon juice over it, and serve.

    📖 Recipe

    Butterflied Roasted Chicken Recipe

    Butterflied Roasted Chicken Recipe

    Banish dry and overcooked chicken breasts forever with this simple technique for roasting a delicious, tender bird every time.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 1 hour hr
    Total Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Servings 4 people
    Calories 481 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 whole chicken patted dry
    • 3 tbsp. melted Paleo cooking fat
    • 3 tbsp. fresh rosemary finely chopped
    • 2 onions peeled and quartered
    • 4 carrots peeled and sliced
    • 2 bell peppers chopped
    • 2 lemons halved
    • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat your oven to 400 F.
    • Place the chicken, breast-side down, on a cutting board. Cut along both sides of the backbone from end to end with kitchen shears and remove the backbone. Flip the chicken breast side up, and open it like a book. Press firmly on the breasts with your palm to flatten them.
      1 whole chicken
    • Save the backbone for some homemade stock.
    • In a small bowl, combine the cooking fat and 2 tablespoon of the rosemary.
      3 tbsp. melted Paleo cooking fat
    • Rub the chicken with â…” of the fat/rosemary mixture and season the chicken to taste with sea salt and ground pepper.
    • Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil.
    • Place the chicken on the baking sheet and surround it with the vegetables and the lemons.
      2 lemons
    • Pour the remaining fat/rosemary mixture over the vegetables and season to taste.
      3 tbsp. fresh rosemary, 2 onions, 4 carrots, Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, 2 bell peppers
    • Place the baking sheet in the oven and cook for 1 hour or until a meat thermometer reads 165 F in the thickest part of the breast.
    • Remove the chicken from the oven, squeeze some lemon juice over it, and serve.
      2 lemons

    Nutrition

    Calories: 481kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 38gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 143mgSodium: 150mgPotassium: 738mgFiber: 6gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 3846IUVitamin C: 115mgCalcium: 90mgIron: 3mg
    Keyword butterfield chicken, roasted
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    Filed Under: Paleo Chicken and Poultry Recipes, Paleo Recipes Tagged With: cooking: fast prep, cooking: oven, diet: dairy-free, diet: egg-free, diet: no sweeteners, diet: nut-free, diet: shellfish-free, good for leftovers, Paleo Budget-Friendly Recipes, Paleo Dinner Recipes, Paleo Kid-Friendly Recipes, Paleo Low-Carb Recipes

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