how to prepare our chickens
Spatchcock Chicken Cooking Guidelines
Chicken comes spatchcocked (butterflied) and dry rubbed marinated. Dry rubs have minimal salt and we recommend finishing with more salt to taste if desired.
Our Favorite and Easiest Way:
Preheat an oven to 375 degrees (350 to 360 for convection ovens).
Place a cast iron skillet that can accommodate the chicken on a stovetop and heat over medium high heat for 3 to 4 minutes.
Add ¼ cup of vegetable, avocado or light olive oil to the cast iron pan and let it heat up for 30 seconds.
Add the spatchcock chicken with rib bones down (skin side up). Use kitchen tongs for safety.
The oil should be hot enough that the oil sizzles when the chicken is placed in the pan. If necessary, raise the heat a bit.
Cook in the pan for about 5 minutes.
After 5 minutes add to the pan: ¼ cup white wine, ¾ cup water or just 1 cup water and 3 whole crushed garlic cloves. Brush top of chicken with vegetable, avocado, or light olive oil (room temperature softened butter is extra tasty to brush it with).
Carefully transfer cast iron skillet with chicken to the middle oven rack in the preheated 375 degree oven. Note: do not flip the chicken in the pan and do not cover the chicken with aluminum foil. The skin side is left facing up to develop caramelization and nice coloring
Every 15 minutes baste the chicken with the collected juices while cooking.
Cook for approximately 45 to 55 minutes or until internal temperature reads 160 degrees on a meat thermometer. Once finished, remove from the oven, baste with pan juices and let chicken rest in the pan for 5 minutes before serving.
We recommend serving right out of the cast iron pan placed over a trivet/pot holder in the center of the table for visual appeal. Make sure to have a spoon ready to ladle collected juices over portions.
Spatchcock For Grill:
A Hot Zone can be created on your grill to cook chicken with Indirect Heat. Simply use only half your grill at a medium high temperature and place chicken on the other non heated side. Cook times may be longer using this method.
Close the cover on the grill and preheat on medium high for 15 minutes.
While the grill is preheating, lightly brush chicken on both sides with some vegetable, avocado, or light olive oil or spray. Alternatively, softened room temperature butter can be used.
After 15 minutes preheating, turn off the burners on half the grill (keep the other half on high heat).
If using a charcoal grill do the same by moving hot coal to 1 side of the grill.
Place chicken skin side up, rib side down, on the indirect heat side of the grill. Close grill cover and cook slowly until reaches 160 degrees internal temperature with a meat thermometer. If chicken is achieving color too fast the grill cover can be opened occasionally or left open for the last half of cooking or lower the temperature on your hot side.
Once chicken internal temperature reaches 160 degrees and the skin side is nicely browned, it can be flipped briefly to the hot side of the grill if you would like some grill marks on the skin side.
Grill times will vary but at least 50 minutes is necessary.
*As chicken cooks we recommend basting occasionally with a brush using vegetable, avocado or a light olive oil. Softened butter is also excellent to baste with.
Spatchcock in a Smoker
Our dry rubbed marinated chickens are excellent for longer low temperature cooking in a smoker. Those who have smokers tend to have experience and if not we recommend doing some research as smoking cooking times and methods are quite variable depending on your particular smoker and method.
Here are some general guidelines:
Preheat the smoker to 375 using briquettes, hardwood or a combination of both.
Create an Indirect Heat area on your grill to cook chicken. Simply use only half your grill at a medium high to high temperature and place chicken on the other non heated side.
Cooking times vary but approximately 1 hour is needed or brought to an internal temperature of 160 degrees using a meat thermometer.
*As chicken cooks we recommend basting occasionally with a brush using vegetable, avocado or a light olive oil. Softened butter is also excellent to baste with
Lemon Herb Boneless Chicken Breast
We dry rub marinate these breasts with lemon and herbs and then lightly pound them out to tenderize and make them easier and faster to cook with. Dry rubs have minimal salt and we recommend finishing with more salt to taste if desired.
We recommend 2 ways of cooking:
On a preheated medium to high temperature grill. Approximately 2 minutes per side.
Saute them using our Housemade Fried Chicken Coating. Our versatile fried chicken flour is seasoned and adds great flavor and keeps chicken breasts from sticking to the pan. No need for more salt as our Fried Chicken Coating has salt, albeit minimal.
Preheat a non-stick pan or heavy bottomed steel pan over medium heat.
Lightly dredge the chicken breasts in the flour and shake off excess flour. Make sure to completely cover both sides.
Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, avocado or vegetable oil to the pan.
Add chicken breasts and sear on both sides for approximately 2 minutes per side to achieve a nicely browned color.
Optional: add some crushed garlic gloves to the oil while searing the breasts.
For a nice presentation each breast can be topped with a thin slice of lemon. Seeds removed.
Can also be baked in a 400 degree oven or air fryer.
Always cook to an internal temperature of 160 degrees to assure doneness.
Honey Soy Lime Chicken Tenders
We recommend 2 ways of cooking same as breasts:
On a preheated medium to high temperature grill. Approximately 2 minutes per side.
Saute them using our Housemade Fried Chicken Coating. Our versatile fried chicken flour is seasoned and adds great flavor and keeps chicken from sticking to the pan. No need for more salt as our Fried Chicken Coating has salt, albeit minimal.
Preheat a non-stick pan or heavy bottomed steel pan over medium heat.
Lightly dredge the tenders in the flour and shake off excess flour. Make sure to completely cover both sides.
Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, avocado or vegetable oil to the pan.
Add tenders and sear on both sides for approximately 2.5 minutes per side to achieve a nicely browned color.
Optional: add some crushed garlic gloves to the oil while searing the breasts.
Always cook to an internal temperature of 160 degrees to assure doneness.
Dry Rubbed Greek Maryland Cut Chicken:
Our “Maryland” cut chicken refers to a bone in leg with a boneless thigh attached.
These are perfect for grilling, baking or smoking.
For Oven:
Preheat an oven to 375 degrees (350 to 360 for convection ovens)
Place Maryland cut chicken on an oiled sheet pan or casserole dish or on a drip grate over a sheet pan. Optional: add a mixture of wine and water and some crushed garlic cloves to the cooking vessel
Cook for approximately 40 to 50 minutes or use a meat thermometer until it reaches an internal temperature of 180 degrees. (higher than the normal 160 degrees for white meat)
*As chicken cooks we recommend basting occasionally with a brush using vegetable, avocado or a light olive oil. Softened butter is also excellent to baste with.
Dry Rubbed Peri Peri Chicken Wings:
Preheat an oven to 375 to 400 degrees (375 to 400 for convection ovens)
Place wings on a drip rack over a sheet pan.
Bake for approximately 30 to 40 minutes or until they are well colored and crispy. Half way through cooking, the wings should be flipped to achieve even cooking on all sides. Cook to an internal temperature of 180 degrees on a meat thermometer (higher than the normal 160 degrees for white meat).
Alternatively the wings can be grilled,fried or *smoked (see instructions for using a smoker for Drumsticks and thighs)
If desired, toss with your favorite wing sauce after they are cooked.
BBQ Rubbed Poultry;
Our BBQ marinated chicken is marinated with a BBQ Dry Rub. This gives the chicken a nice BBQ base flavor and color. Towards the end of cooking we recommend brushing with a wet BBQ sauce if desired.
BBQ Rubbed Chicken Drumsticks and Thighs
We recommend cooking on an outdoor grill using an Indirect Heat cooking method.
Close the cover on the grill and preheat on high for 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes turn off the burners on half the grill (keep other half on high heat)
If using a charcoal grill do the same by moving hot coal to 1 side of the grill.
Place chicken on the non heat side of burners and close the grill and let cook for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes open the grill and flip the chicken, close the grill cover and cook for an additional 25 minutes.
Using a meat probe thermometer check the internal temperature of chicken and look for approx 185 to 190 degrees, let cook covered a bit longer if not up to target internal temperature. NOTE: 185 - 190 degree target internal temperature of drumsticks is higher than the 160 degrees when using white chicken breast. For boneless thighs look for 170 to 175 degrees.
Once internal target temperature is reached, transfer chicken to the hot side of burners and cook briefly for 3 to 5 minutes to obtain a crispy charr to taste, turning occasionally for even cooking. Optional: at the end of cooking brush with one of our broad selections of wet BBQ sauces.
If cooking in an oven: preheat to 375 degrees and cook on a drip grate for approx 50 minutes and turn half thru cooking.
Our BBQ rubbed drumsticks and thighs are excellent for longer low temperature cooking in a smoker. Those who have smokers tend to have experience and if not we recommend doing some research as smoking cooking times and methods are quite variable depending on your particular smoker and method.
Here are some general guidelines:
Preheat the smoker to 375 to 400 using briquettes, hardwood or a combination of both.
Create an Indirect Heat area on your grill to cook chicken. Simply use only half your grill at a medium high to high temperature and cook chicken on the other non heated side.
Cook for approximately 1 hour and make sure to flip chicken halfway through cooking. NOTE: smoking methods vary and some may take much longer.
Using a meat probe thermometer check the internal temperature of chicken and look for approx 185 to 190 degrees, let cook covered a bit longer if not up to target internal temperature. NOTE: 185 - 190 degree target internal temperature of drumsticks is higher than the 160 degrees when using white chicken breast. For boneless thighs look for 170 to 175 degrees.
Optional: at the end of cooking brush with one of our broad selections of wet BBQ sauces.
*As chicken cooks we recommend basting occasionally with a brush using vegetable, avocado or a light olive oil. Softened butter is also excellent to baste with.
Our Fried Chicken Coating:
We have developed a versatile seasoned Fried Chicken Coating which can be used to dredge chicken for frying and is also great to coat chicken for sauteeing.
If you would like chicken for frying, speak to our butchers who can break down a chicken into 8 pieces which is ideal for frying.
Using Our Fried Chicken Coating:
While not mandatory we recommend marinating your chicken in buttermilk for at least 3 hours or better overnight. This will result in juicy plump fried chicken.
NOTE: Commercial fried chicken chains use Pressure Fryers, a highly specialized frying system that also acts as a pressure cooker to achieve a perfect outer color and moist interior.
If chicken has been marinated, place it on a drip pan to get rid of excess buttermilk.
Use a vegetable oil with a high smoke point such as canola or avocado oil.
Add oil to a heavy bottomed pan or cast iron pan. Alternatively use a deep fryer if you have one. Oil depth should be enough to cover chicken so it is completely submerged.
Preheat oil to 325 to 350 degrees. We recommend purchasing an oil thermometer to monitor the temperature of oil. Oil temperature will drop when adding chicken. If chicken is browning too fast either there is not enough chicken for the amount of oil or temperature needs to be lowered.
Dredge the chicken thoroughly in the Fried Chicken Coating and lightly shake off excess.
Cooking Times Approximately: Always cook to an internal temperature of 160 degrees to assure doneness.
Wings - 10 mins
Drumsticks - 11 mins
Thighs - 12 mins
Breasts - 14 mins
