Ingredients
- 1 3 ½ pound whole chicken, spatchcocked
- 4 tablespoons or ½ stick butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon coriander
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- ½ preserved lemon, skin and pulp, finely diced OR 1 tablespoon preserved lemon paste
- Kosher salt and cracked black pepper
- Fresh oregano sprigs
- 1 blood orange, thinly sliced
- 1 lemon, thinly sliced
- 1 head of garlic, with the top removed
- 1 ½ pound mixed root vegetables such as carrots, celery root, beets, or potatoes
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Preparation
- Remove the spatchcocked chicken from the fridge 30 minutes before preparation to allow it to come to room temperature. Pat the bird dry and set aside.
- Chop your root vegetables into 1-2 inch pieces. If including potatoes, place them in a bath of cold water as you chop to remove any excess starch and prevent them from browning. Drain the water after about 3 minutes. Toss the vegetables and/or potatoes in the olive oil and season lightly with salt, about 2 teaspoons.
- Place the vegetables, garlic, oregano, and half of the sliced citrus in the bottom of a roasting pan. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. For this recipe, you will need a roasting pan that comes with a rack.
- In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, paprika, coriander, brown sugar, and preserved lemon. Using clean hands or a basting brush, evenly spread the butter mixture all over the chicken and under the skin. Season the bird generously with salt and cracked black pepper.
- Place the bird on a roasting rack above the vegetables. Roast for 45-55 minutes, using your brush to baste the bird every 15 with juices that accumulate in the bottom of the pan. Brush-basting will not only tenderize your bird, but enhance caramelization of the skin.
- Remove the bird from the oven once the internal temperature has reached 155 degrees. Allow the bird to rest for 15-20 minutes before carving.
- Place the vegetables on a serving platter with fresh citrus slices and discard the oregano stems and cooked citrus. There should be a significant amount of liquid in the bottom of the pan. Squeeze out as much garlic as you’d like into those savory juices and smash them up.
- Plate the carved chicken atop the vegetables and pour the garlicky sauce over top. Enjoy!
