Several months ago Gwyneth Paltrow posted her video for roasting a chicken butterflied instead of uncut – a technique I have used often on the grill for chicken-under-a-brick.  Poor Gwyneth has been the target of such derision as a result of this, because of her repeated references to organic chicken, farmer’s market, etc. etc.  I am not Gwyneth Paltrow, but I do make a mighty fine butterflied chicken in the oven when grilling – like now – is definitely not an option.  The Weber is still buried, and it’s snowing once again.

BUTTERFLIED ROAST CHICKEN WITH VEGETABLES

INGREDIENTS:

1 air-chilled chicken, about 5 lbs. (preferably Bell & Evans)

2 large carrots and 2 celery stalks peeled and cut on the bias into 3″ pieces

2 medium sweet onions, peeled and cut into quarters (keep the root end intact and they won’t fall apart)

4 somewhat-large red-skinned potatoes quartered

Dry white wine as needed

MARINADE:

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, 2 heaping Tbsp Dijon mustard, 1 tbsp balsmic vinegar, 1/2 tbsp kosher salt, 1/2 tsp freshly ground black papper, 2 tbsp or so of finely chopped fresh rosemary & oregano, 2 minced garlic cloves

PREPARATION:

Remove wing tips and backbone from the chicken with poultry shears, and then cut a little way through the top underside of the breastbone so the chicken will lie flat when opened like a book.

Combine all marinade ingredients, spread a bit on the underside of the chicken, and then about half of the remainder all over the skin side.

Combine all the cut-up vegetables in a large bowl and toss with remainder of the marinade.

Lay the chicken skin side up in a roasting pan large enough to hold everything.  Then surround it with the vegetables so it looks something like this:

Let come to room temperature and roast at 425 for about an hour, maybe 15 minutes more depending on size of your bird, occasionally splashing with a bit of dry white wine (even dry vermouth will do).

Ours was done in just under 1-1/4 hours and we brought it to table so quickly, I’m sorry to say there’s no photo of the finished product – so please visualize the raw bird above having become browned, slightly crisped on the skin, and the vegetables caramelized and soft.