This spatchcock chicken recipe flattens a whole bird for more even roasting. Add Original Dust partway through cooking and check both breasts and thighs before carving.
Make it with Original Desert Dust. Start with the amount listed, then taste before adding more.
Flatten the chicken. Heat oven to 425°F (220°C). Put the chicken breast-side down on a stable board. With sturdy poultry shears, cut along both sides of the backbone and remove it. Turn breast-side up and press firmly over the breastbone until flattened. Tuck the wing tips behind the breasts. Do not rinse raw chicken; clean the board and tools afterward.
Start roasting. Pat the skin dry and rub with olive oil. Set breast-side up on a metal rack in a rimmed roasting pan, with the legs angled outward. Roast for 30 minutes. Keep the bird in one flat layer; use a pan large enough to catch the juices.
Brush on the Dust. Mix Original Dust, melted butter and lemon juice in a small bowl. Brush over the partly cooked skin and return to the oven. Do not use any mixture touched by the brush as a serving sauce.
Check several places. Roast another 15–35 minutes, until a thermometer reads at least 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part of each breast and the innermost thigh and wing areas, away from bone. If the breast skin darkens too quickly, cover that area loosely with foil while the rest finishes.
Rest and carve. Move to a clean board and rest 10 minutes. Separate the legs at the joints and cut the breast meat from the breastbone. Spoon over a little of the fully cooked pan juices and serve.
Cooking timing: 45–65 mins + 10 mins resting.
The Dust In This Recipe
The Original Desert Dust
$12.99
Make it with Original Desert Dust. Start with the amount listed, then taste before adding more.
✦The Date Is the DifferenceOrganic Coachella Valley dates bring sweetness, body and depth.
✦Smoky & EarthyA balanced all-purpose blend made for everyday cooking.
It means removing the backbone and flattening the bird. This exposes more skin and helps the legs and breasts cook more evenly than a tightly trussed whole chicken.
CAN THE BUTCHER PREPARE IT?
Yes. Ask for a whole chicken with the backbone removed and the bird flattened, keeping the skin on. Choose the stated size so the cooking-time range remains useful.
DO I NEED TO REMOVE THE BREASTBONE?
No. Pressing firmly after the backbone is removed usually lets the bird lie flat while leaving the breastbone in place. Use a stable board and keep your hands clear of the shears.
WHY ADD ORIGINAL DUST LATER?
The blend contains dates, which can darken during a long hot roast. A later butter-and-Dust coating gives it less time in the hottest part of the cooking process.
CAN I USE A LARGER CHICKEN?
A larger bird needs more time and a bigger pan. The stated clock range is for a 3 1/2–4-pound chicken; use temperature checks in multiple places rather than extending the time by guesswork.
SHOULD I RELY ON CLEAR JUICES?
No. Skin color and the appearance of juices cannot establish that every part is safely cooked. Check the breast, thigh and wing areas with a food thermometer.
HOW DO I STORE LEFTOVER ROAST CHICKEN?
Refrigerate in a shallow covered container within two hours, or one hour above 90°F (32°C). Keep at 40°F (4°C) or colder and use within 3–4 days. Reheat leftovers to 165°F (74°C). Remove meat from the bones before chilling so it cools more quickly.
These Instant Pot mashed potatoes are steamed above water, drained and hand-mashed with warm milk and Savory Dust butter. A steamer basket keeps excess cooking liquid out of the finished potatoes.
