Spatchcocked Rotisserie-Style Chicken with Toum and Warm Pita

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A whole chicken flattened and blasted in a hot oven until the skin crackles like it came off a spit — no rotisserie required. A lemon-garlic-paprika rub does the flavor work, the drippings become a pan sauce for the pita, and a bowl of fluffy Lebanese toum brings the sharp, creamy garlic hit that makes this dish worth the plate.

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken, 3 1/2 to 4 lb
• 1 tbsp kosher salt
• 4 garlic cloves, finely grated
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 tsp sweet paprika
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp tomato paste

• 1/2 cup peeled garlic cloves (about 20 to 24)
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 tbsp ice water
• 1 1/2 cups neutral oil, such as canola or grapeseed

• 4 pocket pita breads
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 1/2 cup pickled turnips or dill pickle spears

Instructions

1. Spatchcock the chicken: pat it dry and set it breast-side down on a cutting board. Using sturdy kitchen shears, cut up along both sides of the backbone from tail to neck and remove the backbone (save it for stock). Flip the bird breast-side up, spread the legs out, and press hard on the breastbone with the heel of your hand until you hear a crack and the chicken lies flat.
2. Season and dry-brine: sprinkle the 1 tablespoon kosher salt evenly over both sides of the chicken. Set it skin-side up on a rack over a sheet pan and refrigerate uncovered for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours — this dries the skin so it crisps like a rotisserie bird.
3. Make the rub: whisk the grated garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, paprika, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, black pepper, cayenne, and tomato paste into a loose paste. Rub two-thirds of it under and over the skin, working some directly onto the breast and thigh meat, and reserve the rest. Let the chicken sit at room temperature for 30 minutes while the oven heats.
4. Make the toum: pound the garlic cloves and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a mortar, or pulse in a food processor with the salt for 30 seconds, scraping down twice, until a wet paste forms. Add 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice and pulse to combine.
5. With the food processor running, add the oil in an extremely slow, thin thread — the first 1/2 cup should take a full 3 to 4 minutes. Once it thickens and turns opaque white, alternate: 1/4 cup oil, then 1 teaspoon lemon juice or ice water, until all the oil, lemon juice, and ice water are in. You should have a thick, glossy, spreadable sauce. Scrape into a bowl, cover, and refrigerate.
6. Heat the oven to 450°F with a rack in the upper third. Set the chicken skin-side up on a rack in a rimmed sheet pan (or directly in a cast-iron skillet or roasting pan) and roast for 25 minutes.
7. Brush the chicken with the reserved rub and any pan juices, then continue roasting 20 to 25 minutes more, until the skin is deeply browned and an instant-read thermometer reads 160°F in the thickest part of the breast and 175°F in the thigh. If the skin is browning faster than the meat cooks, drop the oven to 425°F.
8. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and rest 10 to 15 minutes. Tip any accumulated pan drippings into a small bowl.
9. While the chicken rests, warm the pita: brush each round lightly with the reserved pan drippings and toast directly on the oven rack or in a dry skillet over medium-high heat for 45 to 60 seconds per side, until puffed, warm, and lightly blistered. Wrap in a clean towel to stay soft.
10. Toss the cherry tomatoes, red onion, and parsley with a squeeze of lemon and a pinch of salt. Carve the chicken into breast halves, thighs, drumsticks, and wings, cutting the breasts crosswise into thick slices. Pile onto a platter, spoon over the remaining drippings, and serve with the toum, warm pita, salad, pickles, and lemon wedges.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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