Roasted Butterflied Chicken with Garlic, Fennel, Lemon and Potatoes! This is one of my favorite chicken recipes. It is great for entertaining and sharing with friends and family as it is super easy, quick and looks insanely delicious when presented on the table. (My mouth is watering just thinking about it) or on your own, you can cook it and have it for a few days. I always like to cook something on Sundays that I will have ready and prepared for the week when it gets hectic and I may not have the time to cook, this helps to save money and to ensure that I eat something healthy and wholesome.
(Serves 4 people)
Ingredients:
You will need:
1 chicken around 4 pounds (organic always tastes better if you can find it)
(Spatchcock the chicken yourself or ask your butcher to remove the backbone for you, if you like you can ask the butcher to give you back the innards so you can make a stock later or discard them with the butcher)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil plus,
2 tablespoons additional set aside
1 teaspoon of crushed fennel
1 lemons, halved
1 lemon sliced with the skin on
4 heads of garlic, tops of heads cut off so the tops of the cloves are exposed and any loose flaky white paper is removed for roasting plus,
10 garlic cloves, peeled
2 fennel bulbs cut into quarters, stalks and green leafy parts removed
2 pounds of yellow potatoes, washed and cut into quarters
Coarse Sea Salt
Black Pepper
Instructions:
Mix together the crushed fennel seeds and the olive oil about 1 hour before you are ready to cook the chicken. The longer it sits the more the fennel flavor will permeate the oil and the more flavor the chicken will have.
In the meantime, in an extra large mixing bowl toss the potatoes, fennel quarters and garlic with the 2 tablespoons of oil salt and pepper and set aside
When you are ready to cook the chicken, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F
Lay the chicken skin side up in a roasting pan completely spread open and flat (butterflied). Squeeze the juice of one lemon over the chicken and add salt and pepper to season. Then pour the fennel oil over the top and with your hands rub all over chicken so all of the skin is generously covered.
Take the 10 garlic cloves and insert them all around the chicken and under the skin for the most flavor.
Roast the chicken for 20 minutes and remove from oven. Add the potatoes, fennel, garlic heads and lemon slices all around the chicken in the roasting pan. Make sure the garlic heads are facing up. Reduce the temperature to 400 degrees F and roast for another 45-50 minutes and the chicken is golden and browned.
You will know it is done if you insert a fork into the thickest part of the thigh and breast and the juices run clear or an instant read thermometer in the same area reads 165 degrees F.
When finished remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before carving. Lightly cover with foil so it stays warm. After resting for 10 minutes you can carve and cut the chicken into 10 pieces. 2 legs, 2 breasts (each breast cut in half), 2 wings and 2 thighs and arrange on a serving platter with the potatoes, fennel, garlic heads and lemon slices. Pour the pan juice over the chicken on the platter.
Voila! Dinner is served.
