I’ve always wanted to try spatchcock roast chicken, but found myself always going with the ol’ traditional trussed bird. I thought it might be too time consuming or too hard to break down. Boy was I wrong! It’s even easier than fussing with trussing and it’s easier to slice when it’s all said and cooked.
We were feeling pretty crummy this week, we were plagued with the common cold and every night I didn’t feel like making anything special. We lived on ramen and chicken soup all week. Very reminiscent of how we use to live back in our college days. Unfortunately, my sweet husband’s birthday was fast approaching and we were both sick. So I asked him what I should make him for his day and of course his reply was Roasted Chicken with Red Thai Curry Beurre Blanc.
My first recipe that started this blog and to this day that’s what Justin says is his favorite thing I make. However, I didn’t really want to fuss with that recipe and wanted to simplify it a little bit. When I write recipes I try to research as many techniques to come up with one refined recipe. I fact check myself and usually Serious Eats is one of my references. So when researching how to spatchcock chicken, I used Serious Eats article on their how to spatchcock and roast a chicken. So now with my research down I’m ready to combine my Red Thai Curry Beurre Blanc with a delicious roasted spatchcock chicken.
Wine Pairing Recommendation: A dry Riesling, yes Riesling can be dry. Don’t automatically think it’s sweet. Look for ‘Trocken’ on the label from Germany. I have also found dry styles of Riesling out of Washington. Riesling will pair beautifully with the Red Thai Curry Beurre Blanc.
Spatchcock Roast Chicken
The Thai Curry Beurre Blanc is definitely the challenge in this recipe. Approach it like you're a chemist. The way it creates that velvety sauce is when the acid in the wine and lemon react with the milk solids in the butter and emulsify. It's important to remember to add the butter on really low heat.
Ingredients
- 1 whole {4-5 pound} Chicken, spatchcocked
- 1 stick Butter, softened to room tempature
- 1 tablespoon Parsley, chopped
- 1 clove Garlic, minced
- Kosher Salt, for seasoning
- For Red Thai Curry Beurre Blanc
- 1 whole Shallot, chopped
- 4 cloves Garlic, minced or grated
- 1 cup Dry White Wine
- 1 whole Lemon, juiced
- 2 tablespoons Red Curry Paste {I used Thai Kitchen}
- 2 sticks Cold Butter, cubed {Has to be right out of the fridge cold!}
- 1/8 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1 bunch Basil, chopped for garnish
Directions
- Step 1 Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.
- Step 2 Line a sheet pan with a wire rack. To spatchcock a chicken, place the chicken breast side down on a cutting board. Using kitchen shears cut along both sides of the backbone, remove and discard or save in the freezer for the next time you make stock. Turn chicken over and oven up the underside of the chicken. Use some force with the heel of your hand until it cracks open and lays flat. Tuck the wing tips under the bird and place on the wire rack on the sheet pan.
- Step 3 Mix together the butter, parsley, garlic. Divide and use your fingers to separate the skin from the chicken breast and tuck the garlic butter under the skin. {This could be optional but I suggest it for a juicy bird and it gives it a chance to season the actual meat of the bird.} Sprinkle the outside of the chicken with kosher salt.
- Step 4 Roast in the oven for 45-50 minutes or until a instant read thermometer is between 155-160 degrees F.
- Step 5 Allow the chicken to rest while you make the sauce.
- Step 6 In a medium sized skillet or sauce pan, add chopped shallot, garlic, white wine and lemon juice. Bring to a boil and reduce liquid by half over medium high heat. Whisk in curry paste and mix until smooth. Simmer for 2 minutes until reduced and thick.
- Step 7 Once reduced to a thick sauce turn heat off. Slowly whisk in the cold butter, one cube at a time into the pan.
- Step 8 Whisk until butter is fully incorporated and melted into the sauce. If sauce gets to cold you can warm it on the stove but never let it boil or get too hot. I like to keep my beurre blanc just on the warm surface of my oven.
- Step 9 Strain the sauce through a fine mesh strainer into a serving bowl. Season with salt and add chopped basil and stir to combine. Serve immediately drizzled over the chicken. Garnish with more basil, lemon slices and lime slices. Enjoy!
