Best Ever Roasted Chicken
3 ingredients · 1 hour · 6 servings
Getting in at least 20g of protein in a meal will trigger your satiety markers (meaning you’ll be less hungry!) & research has shown 30g of protein in a sitting to be optimal for synthesizing new muscle. And YES, we want to build muscle to boost our metabolism, support our immune system & bone health, amongst other benefits.
This chicken is the perfect way to hit that protein target! It’s juicy, delicious, impressive & seems too easy to be true. When you ‘spatchcock’ the chicken (split it open) & flatten it out, it allows the chicken to cook evenly so the entire chicken is tender, with no dry meat! I often make 2 of these at once & use the leftovers all week for a quick protein source. You’ll get about 26g of protein with a 4oz chicken thigh & 27g with a 3oz chicken breast.
Directions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Using a sharp knife or poultry shears, cut along the backbone of the chicken.
Flip the chicken over & with your palms over either side of the chicken, firmly press down to crack (this will allow the chicken to lay flat).
Place the chicken on a roasting pan & generously sprinkle the entire chicken with the salt & pepper (inside the cavity as well).
Place in your preheated oven & roast until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken thigh reads 165 degrees, this usually takes around 45 min.
Check it at 25 min – if the skin is starting to get really golden, set a piece of foil over it for the rest of the roasting time.
Remove the chicken from the oven & allow to cool before carving.
Ingredients
1 roasting chicken, 4-6lb
1 tbsp Kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper (optional)
Notes
Make it more nutrient dense & flavourful - Source pasture-raised chickens to make this meal extra tasty & nutritious! Bringing your chicken to room temperature before roasting will also help it cook evenly.
Spice it Up - Sprinkle the skin & cavity with smoked paprika. You will likely need to use foil to protect the skin from burning, just over the halfway mark.
