Spatchcock Chicken with Achiote Paste

Gluten free cooks want to experience exciting flavours from around the world and this Spatchcock Chicken with achiote paste is a simple roast chicken with the earthy flavours of Yucatan. Gluten free cooks want to experience new foods just like everyone else and they can. It just might be in your kitchen.

Achiote paste is made from annatto seeds and gives foods a unique, earthy flavour. I use it mixed with butter to rub on chicken or turkey. In my Grilled Achiote Chicken recipe I combine it with liquid ingredients to make an amazing marinade.

Serve this chicken with any Mexican or Latin American dishes from this post, 23 Cinco De Mayo recipes.

Ingredients

It doesn't get much easier than this. Buy the achiote paste and combine it with butter. Then I've got a few more recipes for you to enjoy with this ingredient.

• whole chicken
• achiote paste (also called annatto paste)
• butter

See recipe card for exact amounts.

Instructions: Spatchcocking Technique

The term spatchcock refers to the preparation method of removing the backbone of the chicken and flattening the bird, while leaving it in one piece. Since it is simply a method you can season your chicken any way you like and cook it in the oven, on the barbecue or any way you might cook chicken.

My favourite YouTube video demonstrating the spatchcock method is from John of Food Wishes, Spatchcock Chicken Technique. His directions are accurate and entertaining. I found kitchen scissors work best for spatchcocking but a knife works too.

A Dog Mishap

When visiting my niece and her husband one year they served us a barbecued spatchcocked chicken. It was a warm summer evening in the Okanagan valley and we sat outdoors enjoying some local wine while we watched the chicken cook.

It was cut and brought to the table where we all dug in, unaware that our dog was inside enjoying the rest of it. Fortunately they have a dog too and we have been invited back.

Organize For Success

When you cook with a seasonal strategy it ensures variety in your meals year round. There is an infinite number or ways to cook and season chicken and you can add spatchcocking to the list. Baked, roasted, braised, poached, sautéed, grilled and stir-fried to name a few. And how many ways can you prepare the bird itself? Whole or cut, bone-in or deboned, skin on or off, sliced, cubed, ground, butterflied and even spatchcocked. You can cook chicken every day and find lots of variety if you try.

The brand I buy is La Perla Del Mayab. In Calgary I can find it at Unimarket and of course you can buy it on Amazon.

Let me know in the comments below if you tried your hand at spatchcocking.

Spatchcock Chicken with Achiote Paste

Spatchcocking is a method of removing the backbone of the chicken and flattening the bird. It can be seasoned anyway you like but this achiote butter gives it a unique, earthy flavour.

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Southwestern

Keyword: spatchcock chicken with achiote butter

Author: Cinde Little

Ingredients

• ▢ 3 lb whole chicken
• ▢ 1½ tablespoon achiote paste
• ▢ 6 tablespoon butter
• ▢ salt and pepper

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Instructions

• For visual instructions watch the video (link in recipe description).
• Lay chicken breast side down. Using kitchen scissors cut along the backbone, staying close to the bone, right through to the butt of the chicken.
• Cut along the other side of the backbone, staying close to the bone, cutting right to the end and remove the backbone.
• With a sharp knife cut through the cartilage, about ¼ inch, to expose the sternum. Using your fingers bend the chicken until the sternum pops out. Now the chicken will lay flat.
• Flip the chicken over and tuck the wings under.

ACHIOTE BUTTER

• Melt butter in microwave. Add achiote paste and whisk until combined. Brush all over the chicken.
• Bake in 350°F oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
• Add vegetables, brushed with olive oil, part way through the cooking time if desired.