Spatchcocked Buffalo Chicken

Name: Spatchcocked Buffalo Chicken
Total time: 275 min
Ingredients: 1 3½-to-4-lb. whole chicken, patted dry; 0.25 cup hot sauce, such as Tabasco; 1 tablespoon smoked paprika; 3.5 cups whole buttermilk, divided; 4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided; 1.5 teaspoons plus a pinch freshly ground black pepper, divided; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 2 ounces blue cheese, crumbled (about ½ cup); 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley; 1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot; 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon); 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard; 1 pound fresh yellow wax beans, blanched; 2 stalks celery, thinly sliced (¾ cup); 1 cup celery leaves

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The thrill of spatchcocking chicken isn't just in saying the name, though it's admittedly fun. Spatchcocking is a method of flattening a chicken by cutting out the backbone and then opening the bird like a book. This allows the meat to cook more evenly so every bite is equally tender.

By Anna Theoktisto

Updated on September 7, 2022

Spatchcocked Buffalo Chicken Recipe — Photo: Greg DuPree

Hands On Time:

20 mins

Total Time:

4 hrs 35 mins

Yield:

4 serves

Ingredients

1 3½-to-4-lb. whole chicken, patted dry
¼ cup hot sauce, such as Tabasco
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
3 ½ cups whole buttermilk, divided
4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1 ½ teaspoons plus a pinch freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 ounces blue cheese, crumbled (about ½ cup)
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 pound fresh yellow wax beans, blanched
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced (¾ cup)
1 cup celery leaves

Directions

To spatchcock the chicken, place chicken, breast side down, on a cutting board. Using a pair of heavy-duty kitchen shears, cut along both sides of the backbone and remove it. Flip chicken so it's breast side up, then press down to flatten.
Stir hot sauce, paprika, 3 cups buttermilk, 3 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in a 13-by-9-inch glass baking dish. Add chicken, turn to coat, and place breast side down. Cover; marinate in refrigerator for at least 3 hours and up to 12 hours.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Remove chicken from marinade and pat dry; discard marinade. Place chicken, breast side up, on a large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle evenly with oil; sprinkle with ¾ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper.
Bake chicken until golden brown and a thermometer inserted in thickest portion of thigh registers 165°F, 1 hour, 5 minutes, to 1 hour, 10 minutes. Remove from oven; let rest for 10 minutes. Cut into pieces.
While chicken rests, stir together blue cheese, parsley, shallot, lemon juice, mustard, and remaining ½ cup buttermilk, ¼ teaspoon salt, and pinch of pepper.
Toss beans, sliced celery, and celery leaves on a platter. Serve with chicken and blue cheese dressing for drizzling.