[Foodie Friday Recipe] Spatchcocked Chicken With Crispy Grilled Kale

Rose S. | October 12, 2018 | Real Food Recipes

Enjoy crispy, grilled fall greens under spicy, juicy spatchcocked chicken cooked in a cast iron pan for great flavor and crisp skin!

Spatchcocking is the quickest way to roast a chicken, and this juicy bird is seasoned perfectly with a simple spice rub, drizzled with a delicate lemon-nasturtium butter, and served over crispy grilled kale for a mouthwatering meal you won’t soon forget!

Cooking the spatchcocked chicken in a cast iron pan gives it a delightfully crispy skin. You can also roast the chicken in the oven at 450 degrees for 30-45 minutes instead of using a grill, and either broil the kale or sear it quickly in a very hot cast iron skillet.

(See video + find nasturtium butter recipe here.)

Cast-Iron Spatchcocked Chicken with Crispy Grilled Kale

Serves: 4
Time: 45 Min.

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken (about 3 pounds)
1 dried pasilla chile, seeded and ground using a mortar and pestle (about 2 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 bunch fresh kale
Olive oil, as needed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Nasturtium Butter (recipe below)
Flaky sea salt, such as fleur de sel

Instructions:

Preheat a grill to medium-high heat. Stack a medium cast-iron skillet inside a larger one and preheat them, too.
To spatchcock the chicken, remove wings (you can cook them on the side for a Scooby snack). Place bird breast side down on a work surface. Using kitchen shears, make vertical cuts, starting at thighs, down both sides of backbone to remove it. Flip bird over and, using both hands, press down firmly on each side of breastbone, breaking ribs and flattening chicken for grilling. Remove ribcage and wishbone. Cut along leg and thighbones to expose dark meat for even cooking.
In a small bowl, mix together pasilla, garlic powder, onion powder, brown sugar, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle spice rub over both sides of chicken, pressing with your hands to adhere it to surface. Coat skin side of bird with oil.
Coat bottom of large preheated skillet with oil and add chicken, breast side down. Coat exposed side of chicken with oil and place second skillet on top to weigh it down. Shut grill lid and cook for 25–30 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through cooking and reweighting it with skillet, until skin is golden brown and juices run clear. Transfer to a work surface and let rest for at least 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, massage kale leaves with oil to coat and season with salt and pepper. Grill directly on the grate until kale is crispy and blackened in some spots, 4–5 minutes. Arrange on a serving plate.
Make nasturtium butter.
Using kitchen shears, remove thighs, drumsticks, and both breasts. Slice breasts and plate all of the chicken on top of kale. Spoon some nasturtium butter directly onto hot chicken and whisk the rest into pan juices remaining in skillet. Pour over chicken and finish with nasturtium flowers and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.