Description
If you keep an eye on food feeds, you’ve definitely seen this chicken and all of the rave reviews. We agree! This is crazy delicious! Ina Garten has it posted in several places online as well as listed in her cookbook, ‘Cooking for Jeffrey’. Ask the butcher to butterfly your chicken and this could actually turn into a weeknight special – enjoy!
Ingredients
1, 3 to 4 lb. whole chicken, backbone removed and butterflied
2 t. fresh thyme leaves AND 1 t. whole fennel seeds
1 T. kosher salt AND 1 t. freshly ground pepper
1/3 c. good olive oil
1 lemon, halved and sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 yellow onion, halved and sliced 1/4-inch thick
2 large cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 c. dry white wine
juice from a lemon for serving
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 450 and place a 12-inch cast-iron skillet on a parchment or foil lined baking sheet. Place the thyme leaves, fennel seeds, salt and pepper into a mini chopper, pulse until all are broken up and well combined, then stir the spices into a measuring cup with the olive oil.
Line the bottom of the skillet with the lemon, onion and garlic slices and then place the chicken, skin side down, on top. Brush and spoon about half of the spice and oil mix evenly over the chicken. Carefully turn the chicken skin side up and pat it dry with a couple of paper towels – this is important as it helps the spices stick! – brush and spoon the rest of the spice and oil mix over the chicken.
Roast the chicken for 30 minutes then carefully pour the white wine into the skillet – not on the chicken, don’t wash away the spices! Roast for another 10 to 15 minutes until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the breast shows 155 to 160 degrees.
When the chicken is done, take it out of the oven, sprinkle it with the lemon juice and then cover it tightly with foil and allow it to rest for about 15 minutes.
Cut up the chicken as you wish and serve hot with the pan juices and onion – this was especially tasty with mashed potatoes!