Super Simple Roast Butterflied Chicken

The leg of a butterflied chicken, the carrots from the rack, and Bada Bing Bada Banged Potatoes

Nearly two years ago I tried Mondi's Super Simple Chicken recipe and thought it would do well as a recipe for a whole chicken. Because I'm on a butterflying chicken kick (I think I just like cracking the keel bone out), now's the time to put Mondi's recipe to the whole chicken test.

Unfortunately, I didn't coordinate my potato side dish well and my chicken leg was toward room temperature before I was ready to eat. At least you know what the skin will look like once it's cool.

Super Simple Roast Butterflied Chicken

adapted from Mondi's Super Simple Chicken
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1 whole chicken
4 tbsp butter, melted
1 tbsp dried basil
1 tsp garlic salt

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Butterfly the bird.

Combine butter, basil and garlic salt in a small bowl.

 

Drizzle about half of the buttery mixture over the interior of the bird and spread it to cover.

 

Flip the bird, drizzle the remaining buttery mixture over the skin and smear it around to coat, being sure to get under the wings and in the skin crevices between the breasts and legs.
 

Transfer chicken to a roasting pan. I used a baking sheet (spritzed with olive oil from the MISTO) with carrots on it to serve as a roasting rack.

Bake at 350°F for approximately 1.25-1.5 hours, or until golden and juice from a pierced thigh runs clear, or until internal temperature reaches 170°F.

Let stand 10-15 minutes before carving.


While prep was really simple, the chicken didn't turn out quite as flavorful as it did back in January, '10. The original recipe called for four bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts. When I tried it the first time, I simply cut the recipe in half. This time around, I used the original quantity of seasonings when I think I should've added some more.

That I was using the same garlic salt as I did over a year ago, probably purchased around the time I bought my MISTO three years ago, probably didn't help. And my dry basil wasn't the freshest either. I'd just cracked the container of dry basil I bought from Costco late January '10!! Learn a lesson from me: buy your dry seasonings in small quantities for faster turn-over, particularly if you're trending into using fresh. I tend to fall into the trap of "bulk is better" and that's not always true.

Yes, I'll be cleaning out my pantry and buying smaller quantities of everything. Meanwhile, you should try this chicken.  

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