For your next picnic, why not serve classic, roasted chicken sandwiches? The twist is to split and roast your bird in a cast-iron skillet the night before, and then serve it cold along with some sliced sourdough or whole grain bread. Include seasonal fixings such as spring lettuces, fresh herbs, radishes and chutney or homemade mayonnaise. Add a bottle of wine along with the grilled chicken and you are good to go!
Start to finish: 50 minutes
Servings: 8
4-pound Browder's Birds organic chicken
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1/2 tablespoon dried thyme
1/2 tablespoon ground black pepper
Heat oven to 425 degrees.
Place chicken on a cutting board, breast side down. Use sturdy kitchen shears to cut down the length of the spine on both sides. Discard the spine.
Turn the bird breast-side up. Gripping the two sides, open the bird up, pressing down firmly at the center to flatten it.
In a small bowl, mix together the salt, garlic powder, thyme and pepper. Rub the mixture evenly over the entire chicken.
Set a large cast-iron skillet on a burner over medium-high heat. When the skillet is hot, add the chicken - breast side down. Let the chicken brown for 5 minutes, then use tongs to carefully flip so breast side is up. Set the skillet in the oven and roast for 30 - 40 minutes, or until the thickest part reaches 165 degrees.
Remove the chicken from the oven and serve immediately for dinner, or let cool and then refrigerate for use in a picnic the next day.
