Food Recipes Spatchcocked Buffalo Chicken 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 Anna Theoktisto Anna Theoktisto is a recipe tester and developer who's been working in the Dotdash Meredith test kitchens since 2017. Her recipes and writing have appeared in more than 10 nationally distributed print publications, as well as on various digital platforms. Anna's recipes have been showcased on the covers of magazines such as Food & Wine and Southern Living. Anna earned her BS in agricultural education and communication from the University of Florida, and a degree in culinary arts from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y. She is a member of Les Dames d'Escoffier Birmingham chapter. She has 10 years of experience developing recipes. When not in the kitchen, Anna enjoys hiking with her son, husband, and two dogs. She also loves fostering puppies for a local animal rescue group. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on September 7, 2022 Print Share Share Tweet Pin Email 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. Print