Make one-pan spatchcock chicken and rice for a flavourful dinner that's ready in about an hour

This warmly spiced spatchcock chicken recipe is an incredibly easy — and absolutely delicious — way to roast a whole bird in just over an hour. The best part? The chicken and rice cook together in one pan, resulting in fluffy, flavourful basmati and tender, juicy meat. It’s also really impressive to serve, especially when you garnish the dish with toasted almonds, pomegranate seeds and fresh parsley.

Ingredients

• 1 (1.5 to 2 kg) whole chicken, patted dry
• 1¼ tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp ground cloves
• ½ tsp ground cardamom
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 3 tbsp butter, melted
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, finely diced

Rice:

• 2 cups basmati rice, washed and drained
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp reserved spice mixture
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• 3 cups just-boiled water

To garnish (optional):

• ½ cup toasted slivered almonds
• ½ cup pomegranate arils
• ¼ cup finely chopped parsley

Preparation

Heat oven to 450 F with a rack in the middle position. 

To spatchcock the chicken, place it breast-side down on a cutting board. Use sturdy kitchen scissors to cut along both sides of the spine and remove the backbone. Flip the chicken breast-side up and press down on the breastbone until you hear it crack open. Flatten the chicken legs and the breast. (Alternatively, you can ask a butcher to spatchcock the chicken for you.)

Season the chicken evenly with salt, making sure to get underneath the skin as well. If time permits, place the chicken on a rack, uncovered, and refrigerate for one hour or overnight.

In a small bowl, combine the coriander, cumin, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon and black pepper. Remove 1 teaspoon of the spice mixture and set it aside. Add the melted butter and olive oil to the bowl and stir to combine. Spread the paste evenly across the chicken and under the skin. Let it marinate for up to 1 hour if time permits.

When ready to cook, scatter the onions at the bottom of a large braiser, Dutch oven or other oven-safe dish with a lid. Place the marinated chicken on top, cover and roast for 30 minutes.

Remove the chicken from the oven and uncover. Use a large spoon or tongs to carefully remove the chicken and set it aside. To the baking liquids in the pan, add the rice, salt, reserved spice mixture, turmeric and just-boiled water, and stir to combine. 

Cover the pan with two layers of aluminum foil and ensure the sides are tightly sealed. Use a toothpick to poke several holes across the surface of the foil. Carefully place the chicken on the foil and return the pan to the oven to cook for 25 more minutes. The rice will steam while the chicken crisps up. 

Remove the pan from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes. When ready to serve, remove the chicken from the foil and uncover the rice. Fluff the rice with a fork and transfer it to a serving platter. If desired, scatter pomegranate arils and toasted almonds on top. Place the chicken on top of the rice and, if desired, garnish with parsley.

Serves 6

Produced in collaboration with CBC Creator Network.