Done on this Side Chicken
This chicken recipe, brined and seasoned using ancient Roman ingredients and methods, is my family’s all time favorite chicken. The spice blend is based on recipes from De Re Coquinara (The Art of Cooking), a Roman cookbook from the 4th century, attributed to Marcus Gavis Apicius. The brine uses honey, as sugar wasn’t known to ancient Romans. (But you can substitute sugar if needed.)
Ingredients
- For the chicken:
- 1 whole chicken 4 – 5 lbs., spatchcocked & brined
- 3-4 teaspoons ancient Roman spice blend
- For the brine:
- 4 cups hot water + about 16 ice cubes to make 6 cups
- 1/2 cup salt
- 1/2 cup honey
- For the spice blend:
- Mustard seed celery seed, oregano leaves, rosemary leaves, black peppercorns, cumin seed, fennel seed, ground ginger, caraway seed (a heaping 1/4 teaspoon each).
Instructions
- To spatchcock the chicken:
- Place the whole chicken breast-side down on the counter. Use kitchen shears to cut through the ribs right next to the spine on both sides to remove the spine. Rotate the bird and finish cutting from the other end if needed. Open the cut ends and flip the chicken breast-side up. Using the palms of your hands, press down firmly along the breast bone. You might hear a crack. This should flatten the chicken completely.
- Note: Reserve the spine for homemade chicken stock.
- To brine the chicken:
- Combine the water, salt, and honey in a medium-size saucepan. Stir and heat, just until the salt dissolves. Add the ice and stir to cool.
- Place the spatchcocked chicken skin-side down in a large bowl, and pour the brine over the top. Refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours. Remove the chicken from the brine, rinse it under cold water, and pat it dry.
- To season and cook the chicken:
- Heat the BBQ grill to medium-high or preheat the oven to 425° F.
- Combine the spices and grind them with a mortar and pestle or in a food processor. Season the chicken inside and out with the spice blend.
- On a grill:
- Oil the grill and place the chicken skin-side down on the grill for about 5 minutes to char the skin. Turn the heat down to low. Flip the chicken over. Continue to grill until the skin is golden brown all over, the juices run clear, and an instant read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat registers 165°F. This will take about 45 minutes.
- In the oven:
- Place the chicken skin-side up on a rack in a large roasting pan. Roast until the skin is golden brown all over, juices run clear, and an instant read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat registers 165°F. This will take about 45 minutes.
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