I used to fuss more with roasted chicken, rubbing herbed butters under the skin and changing the oven temperature to get the skin just right. I can honestly say that this easy recipe with just a few ingredients yields a bird every bit as delicious.
Ingredients
1 Chicken (3-4#)
½ Lemon, thinly sliced
2-3 Sprigs of Rosemary
1½# Baby Potatoes (or larger potatoes cut into wedges)
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper
Instructions
Preheat oven to 450°.
To spatchcock the chicken, lay it breast-side down on a cutting board or sheet pan. Cut along both sides of the backbone. Remove the backbone (you can save it to use in stock). Remove any excess skin. Flip the chicken, so it is skin-side up. Press to flatten.
Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Loosen the chicken's skin and insert lemon slices and rosemary needles over the breasts and legs. Rub the outside of the chicken well with salt and freshly ground pepper.
Place potatoes in a roasting pan. Drizzle very lightly (about 1 tsp.) with olive oil, sprinkle with a sprig or so of rosemary, and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat and place the chicken over the potatoes, skin-side up. Roast until the skin is crisp and the juices run clear, about 50 minutes. Allow to rest for 5-10 minutes before carving. Serve with the roasted potatoes and pan juices.
Recipe by strawberryplum at http://www.strawberryplum.com/lemon-rosemary-roast-spatchcocked-chicken/