The Ultimate Chicken Cooking Hack

90 mins
Serves 1
facebook.com

Directions

  1. 1Remove the wing tips from the chicken using a knife and cut off the parson's nose.
  2. 2Remove the wing tips from the chicken using a knife and cut off the parson's nose.
  3. 3Remove the wing tips from the chicken using a knife and cut off the parson's nose.
  4. 4Turn the chicken onto its breast and cut along both sides of the backbone with kitchen scissors to remove it.
  5. 5Turn the chicken onto its breast and cut along both sides of the backbone with kitchen scissors to remove it.
  6. 6Turn the chicken onto its breast and cut along both sides of the backbone with kitchen scissors to remove it.
  7. 7Place the removed backbone and trimmings into a freezer bag for making stock later.
  8. 8Place the removed backbone and trimmings into a freezer bag for making stock later.
  9. 9Place the removed backbone and trimmings into a freezer bag for making stock later.
  10. 10Turn the chicken over, breast-side up, and flatten it by pressing down firmly on the breastbone.
  11. 11Turn the chicken over, breast-side up, and flatten it by pressing down firmly on the breastbone.
  12. 12Turn the chicken over, breast-side up, and flatten it by pressing down firmly on the breastbone.
  13. 13Pour water into a pot and add salt to create a 5% brine, heating it slightly until the salt dissolves, then adding ice and more water to cool it down.
  14. 14Pour water into a pot and add salt to create a 5% brine, heating it slightly until the salt dissolves, then adding ice and more water to cool it down.
  15. 15Pour water into a pot and add salt to create a 5% brine, heating it slightly until the salt dissolves, then adding ice and more water to cool it down.
  16. 16Add lemon, bay leaves, rosemary, and thyme to the cooled brine.
  17. 17Add lemon, bay leaves, rosemary, and thyme to the cooled brine.
  18. 18Add lemon, bay leaves, rosemary, and thyme to the cooled brine.
  19. 19Submerge the spatchcocked chicken in the brine and refrigerate overnight or for up to 24 hours.
  20. 20Submerge the spatchcocked chicken in the brine and refrigerate overnight or for up to 24 hours.
  21. 21Submerge the spatchcocked chicken in the brine and refrigerate overnight or for up to 24 hours.
  22. 22After brining, remove onions, garlic, herbs, and lemon from the brine and place them in a roasting tray.
  23. 23After brining, remove onions, garlic, herbs, and lemon from the brine and place them in a roasting tray.
  24. 24After brining, remove onions, garlic, herbs, and lemon from the brine and place them in a roasting tray.
  25. 25Drizzle olive oil over the aromatics in the roasting tray.
  26. 26Drizzle olive oil over the aromatics in the roasting tray.
  27. 27Drizzle olive oil over the aromatics in the roasting tray.
  28. 28Remove the chicken from the brine, pat it dry thoroughly with paper towels, and place it on top of the aromatics in the roasting tray.
  29. 29Remove the chicken from the brine, pat it dry thoroughly with paper towels, and place it on top of the aromatics in the roasting tray.
  30. 30Remove the chicken from the brine, pat it dry thoroughly with paper towels, and place it on top of the aromatics in the roasting tray.
  31. 31Drizzle olive oil over the chicken and rub it in.
  32. 32Drizzle olive oil over the chicken and rub it in.
  33. 33Drizzle olive oil over the chicken and rub it in.
  34. 34Place the chicken in the oven preheated to the highest temperature (around 200°C or 396°F) and cook for 30-35 minutes.
  35. 35Place the chicken in the oven preheated to the highest temperature (around 200°C or 396°F) and cook for 30-35 minutes.
  36. 36Place the chicken in the oven preheated to the highest temperature (around 200°C or 396°F) and cook for 30-35 minutes.
  37. 37Check the internal temperature of the chicken with a meat thermometer; it should be around 67°C (153°F) before resting.
  38. 38Check the internal temperature of the chicken with a meat thermometer; it should be around 67°C (153°F) before resting.
  39. 39Check the internal temperature of the chicken with a meat thermometer; it should be around 67°C (153°F) before resting.
  40. 40Remove the cooked chicken from the roasting tray and set aside to rest.
  41. 41Remove the cooked chicken from the roasting tray and set aside to rest.
  42. 42Remove the cooked chicken from the roasting tray and set aside to rest.
  43. 43For the gravy, remove the lemon pieces from the roasting tray with the drippings.
  44. 44For the gravy, remove the lemon pieces from the roasting tray with the drippings.
  45. 45For the gravy, remove the lemon pieces from the roasting tray with the drippings.
  46. 46Sprinkle plain flour (2-3 tablespoons) into the roasting tray with the drippings and cook out for about 5 minutes, stirring to create a roux.
  47. 47Sprinkle plain flour (2-3 tablespoons) into the roasting tray with the drippings and cook out for about 5 minutes, stirring to create a roux.
  48. 48Sprinkle plain flour (2-3 tablespoons) into the roasting tray with the drippings and cook out for about 5 minutes, stirring to create a roux.
  49. 49Deglaze the pan with white wine (around 100ml) and cook for another 5 minutes.
  50. 50Deglaze the pan with white wine (around 100ml) and cook for another 5 minutes.
  51. 51Deglaze the pan with white wine (around 100ml) and cook for another 5 minutes.
  52. 52Add chicken stock (around 500ml) to the pan and cook for another 5 minutes.
  53. 53Add chicken stock (around 500ml) to the pan and cook for another 5 minutes.
  54. 54Add chicken stock (around 500ml) to the pan and cook for another 5 minutes.
  55. 55Strain the gravy mixture into a saucepan and reduce it to your desired consistency.
  56. 56Strain the gravy mixture into a saucepan and reduce it to your desired consistency.
  57. 57Strain the gravy mixture into a saucepan and reduce it to your desired consistency.
  58. 58Carve the rested chicken by removing the legs.
  59. 59Carve the rested chicken by removing the legs.
  60. 60Carve the rested chicken by removing the legs.
  61. 61Remove the wings from the chicken.
  62. 62Remove the wings from the chicken.
  63. 63Remove the wings from the chicken.
  64. 64Cut along the side of the breastbone and then along the bottom to release each breast.
  65. 65Cut along the side of the breastbone and then along the bottom to release each breast.
  66. 66Cut along the side of the breastbone and then along the bottom to release each breast.
  67. 67Slice baked potatoes in half.
  68. 68Slice baked potatoes in half.
  69. 69Slice baked potatoes in half.
  70. 70Push the potato flesh through a fine-mesh sieve into a pot.
  71. 71Push the potato flesh through a fine-mesh sieve into a pot.
  72. 72Push the potato flesh through a fine-mesh sieve into a pot.
  73. 73Toss the leftover potato skins with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and salt, then bake them into crispy snacks.
  74. 74Toss the leftover potato skins with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and salt, then bake them into crispy snacks.
  75. 75Toss the leftover potato skins with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and salt, then bake them into crispy snacks.
  76. 76Heat the sieved potato and gradually add cold butter (25-50% of the potato's weight) until incorporated.
  77. 77Heat the sieved potato and gradually add cold butter (25-50% of the potato's weight) until incorporated.
  78. 78Heat the sieved potato and gradually add cold butter (25-50% of the potato's weight) until incorporated.
  79. 79Slowly add warm milk (40% of the potato's weight) to the mashed potatoes until the desired silky smooth consistency is achieved.
  80. 80Slowly add warm milk (40% of the potato's weight) to the mashed potatoes until the desired silky smooth consistency is achieved.
  81. 81Slowly add warm milk (40% of the potato's weight) to the mashed potatoes until the desired silky smooth consistency is achieved.
  82. 82Serve a chicken leg with a portion of the mashed potatoes and generously drizzle with the prepared gravy.
  83. 83Serve a chicken leg with a portion of the mashed potatoes and generously drizzle with the prepared gravy.
  84. 84Serve a chicken leg with a portion of the mashed potatoes and generously drizzle with the prepared gravy.

Ingredients

  • 1 whole chicken
  • 1 whole chicken
  • 1 whole chicken
  • 5 % salt
  • 5 % salt
  • 5 % salt
  • water
  • water
  • water
  • ice
  • ice
  • ice
  • 1 lemon
  • 1 lemon
  • 1 lemon
  • bay leaves
  • bay leaves
  • bay leaves
  • rosemary
  • rosemary
  • rosemary
  • thyme
  • thyme
  • thyme
  • 1 onion
  • 1 onion
  • 1 onion
  • garlic
  • garlic
  • garlic
  • olive oil
  • olive oil
  • olive oil
  • 2 tbsp plain flour
  • 2 tbsp plain flour
  • 2 tbsp plain flour
  • 100 ml white wine
  • 100 ml white wine
  • 100 ml white wine
  • 500 ml chicken stock
  • 500 ml chicken stock
  • 500 ml chicken stock
  • potatoes
  • potatoes
  • potatoes
  • 25 % butter
  • 25 % butter
  • 25 % butter
  • 40 % milk
  • 40 % milk
  • 40 % milk

Equipment

boning knifekitchen scissorsfreezer bagpotwooden spoonbaking traypaper towelsovenmeat thermometertongsstrainerpanspatulakitchen scalesknifefork

Tips

  • Brine chicken for at least 8 hours, but no more than 24 hours to prevent it from becoming too salty.
  • Aim for an internal temperature of 60°C+ (140°F+) in the thickest part of the chicken before resting; it will rise above 70°C after resting.
  • Cook chicken at the highest oven temperature for about 30-35 minutes, keeping an eye on it.
  • For mashed potatoes, use a dry, fluffy potato variety like Maris Piper.
  • Push cooked potatoes through a very fine mesh sieve (like a '30 mesh' sieve) to achieve silky smooth mash without lumps.
  • When making mash, add 25-50% of the potato's weight in cold butter and then 40% of the potato's weight in warm milk until desired consistency is reached.