Looking for a dinner recipe that is dressed to impress? Then you are going to have to learn to spatchcock a chicken or get lucky and buy one already prepared that way.
The word itself may sound strange, but it is good for an aspiring cook to try new things, and if you take the time to perfect your technique, your baked or grilled chicken will never be dry again.
Chicken breasts have a tendency to become parched if you are baking an entire bird, while the legs come out crispy as ever; then along comes spatchcocking, simply put - butterflying, to save the day.
By cutting out the backbone of the chicken with your trusty poultry shears and flattening it by means of pressing firmly down on the chicken's breastbone (skin side up and pressing until it cracks), you will be able to expose the bony legs to more intense heat, helping them to cook at a similar rate as the breasts.
It will require a little more work at the beginning to be sure; however, it will result in a much faster cooking time than a conventional roast, and the skin will be crispier too.
Remember to bathe the chicken in the marinade for a minimum of 2 hours; if you can manage to wait 12 hours till baking, take the challenge and enjoy the long-awaited feast.
Grilled chicken goes best with a side of veggies; for instance, you could pair it with some simple herb-seasoned carrots, even using some spices from the marinade. We also suggest a quick-to-cook and prepare a side dish of garlic green beans, not to overpower the Peruvian spices.
Peruvian-Style Grilled Chicken Recipe
Serves: 4 Prep: 15 min + 2 h Cook: 50 min
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken, spatchcocked
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ onion, minced
- 2 tbsp. paprika
- 2 tsp. cumin
- ½ tsp. dried oregano
- ¼ cup olive oil
- â…“ cup coconut aminos
- 2 tbsp. fresh lime juice
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preparation
- In a bowl, combine the garlic, onion, paprika, cumin, dried oregano, olive oil, coconut aminos, and lime juice, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Brush the chicken with the marinade, making sure it is well covered.
- Let the chicken marinate for 2 to 12 hours in the refrigerator.
- Preheat the grill to medium heat.
- Place chicken on the grill skin side up, and cook for 35 to 40 minutes covered.
- Turn chicken over and grill another 8 to 10 minutes or until skin is nicely browned.
- Let the chicken rest, and carve before serving.
📖 Recipe
Peruvian-Style Grilled Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken spatchcocked
- 5 garlic cloves minced
- ½ onion minced
- 2 tbsp. paprika
- 2 tsp. cumin
- ½ tsp. dried oregano
- ¼ cup olive oil
- â…“ cup coconut aminos
- 2 tbsp. fresh lime juice
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine the garlic, onion, paprika, cumin, dried oregano, olive oil, coconut aminos, and lime juice, and season to taste with salt and pepper.5 garlic cloves, ½ onion, 2 tbsp. paprika, 2 tsp. cumin, ½ tsp. dried oregano, ¼ cup olive oil, ⅓ cup coconut aminos, 2 tbsp. fresh lime juice, Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Brush the chicken with the marinade, making sure it is well covered.1 whole chicken
- Let the chicken marinate for 2 to 12 hours in the refrigerator.
- Preheat the grill to medium heat.
- Place chicken on the grill skin side up, and cook for 35 to 40 minutes covered.
- Turn chicken over and grill another 8 to 10 minutes or until skin is nicely browned.
- Let the chicken rest, and carve before serving.
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