Spatchcock Chicken grilled with Summer Fruit
I am on a grilled, roasted or just straight up stone fruit kick. These fruits (peaches, pluots, plums, nectarines, apricots and cherries) are up there in my book. I do prefer some of them cooked (cherries), while others are good just about any which way I can get them! This recipe for spatchcock chicken grilled with summer fruit really hit the spot in our house. Served with quinoa dressed in olive oil, lemon and simple salt and pepper, all aspects of a good meal are covered!
Note: if you also love cooked cherries, check out this recipe for cherry bourbon pork chops!
One of the best aspects of spatchcocking a chicken, is that it cooks quickly any which way you decide to cook it. Having been a beautiful day, I decided to use the gas grill this past week and the results were super!
Preparing the chicken
What is a spatchcocked chicken? It is a chicken that is butterflied. The backbone is typically removed and then the chicken is laid flat with the inside of the chicken on your cutting board, allowing for the breast to be pressed. It results in a flat bird that will cook evenly and quickly. Martha Stweart has a great account of all of the details on her website that is super helpful. Check it out if this is a new technique for you.
If you are leery of cutting the backbone and ribs out of the chicken, it is much more common these days to find them already spatchcocked in your store. Or, ask your butcher to do the job for you. Bell and Evans has pre-cut and flattended versions selling in many stores.
Once your chicken is ready to go, dry the chicken completely and season very liberally on both sides with the seasoning of your choice. My chicken/pork rub below is tried and true, if you want to give it try!
Quick Chicken/Pork Rub Recipe
1 Tbsp. each of Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Sweet Paprika, Brown Sugar
1 Tsp, each of cinnamon, pepper (fresh ground preferably) and salt
This is enough for roughly a 4 lb. chicken. Double, triple or quadruple the recipe to keep some in the cabinet for other recipes. I use this both for pork and chicken, so it does not go to waste!
Ingredients for this complete dinner
A 3-4 pound chicken
Spice rub (roughly 3-5 full Tbsp)
2-3 stone fruits of your choice. You can halve them for grilling direct on the grill grate, or slice them and use a cast iron pan on the grill. See pics below.
Olive oil, salt and pepper, for coating the grill and the pan. As well for drizzlling/sprinkling over the chicken and fruits
Optional: 4 servings of cooked quinoa, wild rice, freekah or farro. Basically, any grain with a good amount of texture to offset the tender, juicy chicken and sweet, soft delicious fruits! Also, a lemon to be grilled to yummy sweetness and used to squeeze over the grains with some seasoning and EVOO.
Grilling instructions
Get grill heated to medium, with an area that is less hot, in case you need to move off the heat due to flare ups etc. Ensure you have oiled the grates. Oil and season the fruits and place into the cast iron pan and then onto the grill. If using halved fruits, place onto grill grates directly. Continue to check doneness. If knife goes through and there is great browning or grill marks, you are good to go.
Once fruit is on, place chicken breast side up and allow to cook for 30-45 mins, until inner temp is roughly 155 degrees F in thigh. 10-20 mins more cooking time.
Drizzle oil on breast side, use basting brush to rub all over breast, legs and wings. Turn over and allow breast to brown to a nice crispy finish! Inner temp in thigh should now be 160-165. Remove and set aside to cool for 20 mins.
Serve with one of the optional mentioned grains and ENJOY! Let me know how your chicken turns out.
If you have a few more stone fruits hanging out in your fruit bowl, give this stone fruit salad a try!
