There’s a little extra work needed up front for this recipe, but we promise that it’s totally worth it. Find a butcher who is willing to debone your bird, or take the time to do it yourself. The finished dish is impressive, and leftovers can be sliced for sandwiches the next day.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 2 hr 25 min |
| Active: | 20 min |
| Yield: | 4 servings |
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 2 hr 25 min |
| Active: | 20 min |
| Yield: | 4 servings |
Ingredients
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fennel seeds, chopped
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 pound ground chicken or pork
- 2 tablespoons plain breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh parsley
- 1 whole chicken (3 1/2 to 4 pounds) butterflied, with all bones and cartilage removed except in the drumstick and wing drumette
- 1 whole chicken (3 1/2 to 4 pounds) butterflied, with all bones and cartilage removed except in the drumstick and wing drumette
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Stir together the garlic, lemon zest, rosemary, fennel seeds, coriander, red pepper and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper in a small bowl. Put the ground chicken in a medium bowl along with the breadcrumbs, milk, parsley, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon of the spice mixture. Mix together with your hands to combine, being careful to not overmix. Set aside.
- Lay out the butterflied and deboned chicken, meat-side up. Rub the inside of the chicken with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 teaspoons salt and most of the remaining spice mixture (reserve about a teaspoon for the skin).
- Cut 4 pieces of twine, each about 18 inches long, and cut 1 piece about 3 feet long. Put the ground chicken mixture in the middle of the butterflied chicken (right where the breastbone was) and form into a fat, mini meatloaf, leaving about a 1-inch border from the top and bottom edge of the chicken. Bring the sides of the chicken together to form a roll, overlapping the skin. Tie the chicken closed with 3 of the shorter pieces of twine, about 1 inch apart along the midsection, then use the long piece of twine to tie the chicken from top to bottom. Tie the legs together with the remaining piece of twine. Pat the skin dry with a paper towel, and rub with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, another 1 teaspoon of salt and the remaining spice mixture.
- Prepare a grill for medium indirect heat: For gas grills (with 3 or more burners), turn all the burners to medium-high heat; after about 15 minutes turn off one of the middle burners and turn the remaining burners down to medium. For charcoal grills, bank one chimney starter-full of lit and ashed-over charcoal briquettes to one side of the grill. Set up a drip pan on the other side to avoid flare-ups. (Be sure to consult the grill manufacturer’s guide for best results.)
- Put the chicken, breast-side up, on the indirect side of the grill, with the legs facing the hotter side of the grill. Cover and cook until an instant-read thermometer reads at least 165 degrees F in the middle of the chicken, 1 hour and 20 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes. Remove from the grill and let rest 20 minutes before carving.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 4 servings |
| Calories | 1426 |
| Total Fat | 99 g |
| Saturated Fat | 27 g |
| Carbohydrates | 8 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 1 g |
| Protein | 119 g |
| Cholesterol | 483 mg |
| Sodium | 2208 mg |
| Serving Size | 1 of 4 servings |
| Calories | 1426 |
| Total Fat | 99 g |
| Saturated Fat | 27 g |
| Carbohydrates | 8 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 1 g |
| Protein | 119 g |
| Cholesterol | 483 mg |
| Sodium | 2208 mg |