Restaurants›Chicken N Pickle - North Kansas City›1/2 Chicken Recipe

1/2 Chicken Recipe

Inspired by Chicken N Pickle - North Kansas City
Time1h 15m
Serves1

Make 1/2 Chicken Recipe in just 1h 15m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.

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Ingredients

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Chicken & Marinade

For Roasting / Finishing

Method

Chicken & Marinade

1

Prepare chicken

Pat the chicken half dry with paper towels. Tuck the wing tip under and, if the backbone is still attached, ask the butcher to spatchcock or remove backbone so the bird lays flatter (optional). Score the skin lightly between the breast and thigh to let marinade penetrate.

2

Make marinade

In a small bowl combine olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, chopped rosemary, thyme, smoked paprika, kosher salt, and black pepper. Whisk until combined.

3

Marinate chicken

Rub the marinade evenly under and over the skin and all over the chicken half. If time allows, place chicken in a resealable bag or covered dish and refrigerate for 1–4 hours (or up to overnight) to develop flavor. If short on time, proceed immediately.

For Roasting / Finishing

4

Preheat oven

Remove chicken from refrigerator 20–30 minutes before cooking to come closer to room temperature. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Position a rack in the middle of the oven.

5

Prepare roasting pan

Place the marinated chicken half skin-side up on a rimmed baking sheet or shallow roasting pan. Pour 1 cup chicken stock (or water) into the pan to keep the environment moist and catch drippings. Tuck lemon slices around the chicken and brush the skin lightly with melted butter.

6

Roast

Roast the chicken in the preheated oven for 35–45 minutes, or until the skin is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (avoiding the bone) reads 165°F (74°C). If the skin browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the last 10–15 minutes.

7

Rest & finish

Remove the chicken from the oven and transfer to a cutting board. Tent loosely with foil and let rest for 10–12 minutes to allow juices to redistribute. Meanwhile, spoon pan juices into a small saucepan and simmer 2–3 minutes to reduce slightly; whisk in a little extra butter (optional) to finish a simple sauce.

8

Serve

Carve the chicken half into breast and leg portions if desired. Spoon the reduced pan juices over the chicken, garnish with chopped parsley, and serve with the roasted lemon slices on the side.