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Spatchcock Skillet Roasted Chicken with Citrus and Leeks

Shanna
Juicy spatchcock skillet roasted chicken with leeks, Meyer lemons, oranges, shallots and thyme. A super easy and versatile roast chicken recipe.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Additional Time 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings 1 whole roasted chicken

Ingredients
  

  • 1 5-6 pound chicken completely thawed if previously frozen ( if using a smaller chicken 2-4 pounds, roasting total time will be less).
  • 3 large leeks cleaned, white and light green parts only, quartered lengthwise
  • 2 shallots peeled and sliced length wise
  • 1 large Meyer lemon sliced in rounds
  • 1 navel orange sliced in rounds
  • 4 garlic cloves peeled and sliced
  • 3-4 sprigs fresh thyme leaves removed from one of the sprigs
  • 1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 2 Tablespoons flat leaf parsley
  • ¾ cup white wine or chicken stock
  • 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter cut into pieces

Instructions
 

  • Heat oven to 425 Deg F. Set out a 12 inch cast iron skillet. 
  • Set chicken out to come to room temperature, remove giblet packet from inside the chicken if applicable. About 30 to 40 minutes. Prepare all the vegetables, aromatics and herbs before handling the chicken.
  • Rinse and pat the chicken dry with paper towels, set it breast side down on a sturdy cutting board. Using kitchen shears cut out the backbone starting at the tail to the neck. Cut off the wing tips as well and save the backbone and wing tips for making stock. Rinse the chicken again in the inside to get rid of any excess parts left over from butchering. (You can wear gloves if you want when handling the chicken).
  • Spread the chicken open and slice down the sternum just slightly, flip the chicken over and press down on the breastbone to flatten, you should hear the wishbone crack. Flip again and drizzle a little oil in the inside of the chicken as well as season with a teaspoon each of salt, pepper and smoked paprika.
  • Layer the lemon and orange slices in a 12 inch cast iron skillet along with the shallot slices, leeks, garlic cloves and thyme. Place the chicken on top, breast side up and tuck the wings in as well as the thighs. 
  • Drizzle olive oil over the top of the chicken and season with more salt, pepper, smoked paprika, parsley and fresh thyme leaves.
  • Set in preheated oven and roast the chicken for 45-60 minutes total ( Depends on the size of your chicken, smaller will need less total roasting time). There are some steps during that total roasting time as follows.
  • Pour the lemon juice and wine into the skillet around the chicken, a little more than halfway through roasting, around the 30 min mark, next to the chicken, not over it. Next add in the butter pieces around the chicken as well then roast for another 15-25 minutes (after you have added in the wine etc at the halfway-ish point) until you reach total roasting time and the chicken has reached proper temperature.
  • Check for doneness when internal temp of chicken thigh is at least 175 Deg F and breast is 155 Deg F. You can start checking temperature about 10 minutes before total roasting time has been reached. Smaller chicken sizes check earlier than larger chickens. If the chicken starts to get too brown when it hasn’t roasted to the correct internal temperature yet you can tent it with foil to prevent burning. 
  • When the chicken has reached proper internal temperatures, remove from oven, cover with foil if you haven’t already done so, then let rest 10-15 minutes. 
  • Remove chicken from skillet to cutting board to cut into sections or pieces, serve with some of the shallots and leeks and sauce from the pan. This is great served over rice, couscous or quinoa. 

Notes

If the idea of butchering the chicken is a bit too much for you, when you buy the chicken from your grocer or butcher you can ask them to spatchcock or butterfly it for you. You can also roast the chicken whole instead of spatchcocking it. For this version, you can fill the cavity with more lemon and orange slices, leeks, shallots, garlic and a sprig of thyme. Cooking time will be a bit longer this way, but the best way to know that it is done is with internal temps taken with a good digital meat thermometer.