Spatchcock Mesquite Chicken with Pan Gravy

Basic recipes are amazing in that they can easily be adapted to suit your needs, preference and what you have on hand. If this recipe seems familiar, you’d be right. We shared it not that long ago.

The first time I made this recipe was on New Year’s Eve for the 7th Day of Christmas. When I served it up, Hubby mentioned that it would be nice to have mashed potatoes served alongside cream style corn. Yeah, I’m not a fan of cream style corn – it’s a texture thing. He likes to pile the cream corn over mashed potatoes the way the rest of us like gravy. That’s when I decided we needed to use the Spatchcock recipe for a roasting chicken, make extra potatoes and serve up two types of corn – buttery corn and creamed corn. It was a feast.

The chicken cooked up perfectly – with amazing flavor, so moist and tender. Kiddo and I were happy with buttery corn on the side, while Hubby darn near finished off the cream corn single handily. Does any one else eat cream corn over mashed potatoes?

Here’s another thing to keep in mind when roasting a chicken. Go organic. Sure, you’ll spend a bit more. But the cheaper chickens (at lease here in America) have had the flavor breed right out of them. Breasts have no flavor at all, and thighs have lost that gamey taste. Boring! If you have access to Rosie or Rocky Chickens, you will be impressed. Not only are they tender, the flavor is like chicken. By that I mean the way chickens once tasted before all the hormones and antibodies and whatever else they’ve done to them.

That’s my food rant for the day. Let’s get to cooking!

Spatchcock Mesquite Chicken with Pan Gravy
Spatchcock Chicken
1-1/2 cups Chicken Stock
1 (3-1/2 lb) Chicken Roaster
6 Garlic Cloves
1 teaspoon Dried Rosemary
1 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Black Pepper
1 tablespoon Mesquite Seasoning
4 tablespoons butter

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Place a wire rack inside a roasting pan. Add chicken stock to the pan, set aside.

Split chicken in half. Rinse and pat dry. Set aside.

Peel and finely mince garlic. Place garlic in a small bowl. Add butter, season with salt, pepper and Mesquite Seasoning. Mash together to create a paste. Set aside.

Loosen the skin of the chicken. Rub seasoned butter mixture under the skin. Arrange chicken cut side down in the roasting pan.

Place roasting pan in the oven, legs first, and roast at 450 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue baking for 40 minutes or until hens are no longer pink inside.

Place split chicken on the platter. Tent and let rest while the gravy is made. When ready, carve bird, serve and enjoy with gravy on the side.

Pan Dripping Gravy
Drippings from Pan
Chicken Stock to measure 3 cups
3 tablespoons Butter
3 tablespoons Flour
Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste

Strain drippings from roasting pan, measure into a 4 cup measuring cup. Add enough chicken stock to bring liquid to 3 cups. Set aside.

In a sauce pot over medium heat, melt butter. Sprinkle flour over melted butter. Cook, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes to remove raw taste from the flour.

Whisk in pan dripping mixture. Continue to cook for 5 minutes longer or until desired consistency is reached.

Transfer to a bowl with a ladle or gravy boat and serve.

Delicious served with mashed potatoes and sweet corn. Brings back memories of Sunday Suppers long ago.