Spatchcock Roast Chicken with Potatoes, Lemon and Dates
A juicy, perfect-every-time, spatchcock roasted chicken with a collective of sweet, savory, and spicy companions to elevate an otherwise simple meal into something totally memorable.
- Yield: Serves 2 to 4 1x
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- Olive oil, as needed
- One 3.5 to 4-pound spatchcocked chicken (ask your store’s butcher to do this for you if you can’t find one)
- Salt and pepper, as needed
- 1 small onion, cut into petals/wedges
- 24–ounces baby potatoes, halved (such as baby golds)
- 6 pitted dates, halved (any kind you like)
- 2 tablespoons harissa paste (optional)
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- Fresh green herbs, for serving (such as parsley, cilantro, and chives)
Instructions
- Add a couple tablespoons of olive oil to a large, deep lidded pot set over medium-high heat. Season the chicken liberally on both sides with salt and pepper. When the oil is hot, brown the chicken, breast side facing up, for 6 minutes without moving (I put the lid on or a splatter screen to help with the mess).
- After 6 minutes, add the onions, potatoes, and dates to the pot, just pushing and scooching them all around and even under the bird. Cook 5 minutes more. Add 1 cup of water to the pot and spread the harissa (if using) all over the top of the chicken. Place the lid on the pot and place in the oven. Roast for 20 minutes.
- Remove the lid, drizzle a little olive oil on the chicken skin and place back in to roast, uncovered, for about 20 minutes more, or until the juices run clear and the chicken is cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let it rest for 10 minutes before cutting into separate pieces.
- Meanwhile, put the pot on the stovetop over medium heat. Add the lemon zest and juice and season with more salt and pepper to taste (it takes a lot of salt). Let it simmer and reduce for 10 minutes while the chicken is resting. Serve the chicken with the potatoes, dates, onions, and lemony, chicken fatty sauce spooned all over. Shower with a mix of your favorite chopped green herbs and extra crunchy salt on the side for sprinkling as needed.