Roasted Honey Mustard Chicken (Gluten-Free)

Celiac.com 06/20/2020 - Being stuck at home during Covid-19 can take the fun out of spring. However, if you have a chicken, some mustard, honey and a few spices, you can cook some joy right back into your world, and this is just the recipe to do it. The recipe involves the process called 'spatchcocking,' which is a fun word for particular way of splitting a chicken and splaying open for cooking. This recipe comes to us from our much loved Chef John over at the Food Wishes blog and YouTube channel. 

Be sure to watch Chef John's fun and helpful video preparation here, especially if you're new to the process of spatchcocking:

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Ingredients:

• 1 whole chicken (about 4-5 pounds)
• ½ cup yellow mustard
• ¼ cup honey
• ¼ cup seasoned rice wine vinegar (cider vinegar will work)
• 2 teaspoons Sriracha
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed
• ¼ cup chicken stock, or as needed
• 2 tablespoons chopped green onions, or to taste (optional)

Directions:
In a large bowl, mix mustard, honey, vinegar, Sriracha, paprika, pepper, and salt, until combined.

Spatchcocking
Place chicken, breast-side down, on a work surface. Starting at the tailbone, cut along either side of the backbone with scissors or a knife, cutting as close to the bone as possible. Discard the backbone and trim any excess fat or skin from the chicken.

Find the cartilage where the wishbone comes together and forms a "v" and make 1 shallow cut with a knife through the cartilage. Press down on either side to flatten the chicken and expose the breastbone, making another cut in the cartilage if necessary. 

Run your fingers along the breastbone until the rest of the cartilage pulls away. Make a few shallow cuts into the legs, thighs, and wings to ensure even cooking.

Transfer chicken into the bowl of marinade and toss until well coated. Marinate, breast-side down, in the refrigerator, 4 to 12 hours.

Heat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). 

Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Transfer chicken, skin-side up, to the prepared baking sheet. Season with salt. Reserve marinade for basting.
Cook in the center of the preheated oven until chicken starts to darken in spots, 35 to 40 minutes.

While the chicken is roasting, transfer excess marinade into a small saucepan. Add chicken stock to thin the sauce a bit and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat.

Baste chicken with sauce and continue to roast, basting as desired, until no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, about 15 minutes more. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone, should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

Remove chicken from the oven and brush any rendered fat and accumulated juices from the pan onto the chicken.

Transfer chicken to a serving platter and garnish with green onions. Slice and serve, spooning any remaining sauce over top.