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  Holy Grail Recipes - Dismembered Chicken

  DISMEMBERED CHICKEN
  
  

  prep time: 2 hours;  cook time: 45 minutes;  additional time: 15 minutes;  total time: 3 hours
  
  It's clearly not just a flesh wound...
  
  This is a fool proof recipe inspired by Monty Python and the Holy Grail's Black Knight-- a spatchcocked, blackened, and dismembered chicken with a bloody delicious sauce. If you want to be extra on-the-nose, I recommend starting with the wings before moving on to the legs.
  
  
  INGREDIENTS
  1 Whole 5lb Chicken, giblets reserved
  1 tbsp + 1 tsp Paprika, divided
  1 tsp Dark Brown Sugar
  1 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
  3/4 tsp Dried Oregano
  1/2 tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper
  2 tbsp Butter
  1 tsp Flour
  1 1/2 cup Chicken Broth
  1/4 cup Blood Orange Juice
  1/8 tsp Onion Powder
  Salt & Pepper, to taste
  
  
  INSTRUCTIONS
  Spatchcocking a chicken is actually super easy. First, remove the giblets and set aside-- these will help flavor your sauce. Next, pat the bird dry with paper towels and place on a large cutting board, breast side down. Using sharp kitchen scissors, remove backbone by cutting along either side of it. Reserve the spine along with the giblets.
  
  
  Cut a slit at the base of the neck to encourage the flattening process. Never mind that the underside of the chicken looks like the incubator horseshoe crab monster from Alien-- that is another movie entirely and we don't have any time for non-Monty Python allusions.
  
  
  Turn chicken over and lay out flat. Press firmly the breast with the palm of your hand to flatten the bird.
  
  
  Mix 1 tsp paprika, brown sugar, oregano, salt and pepper, and sprinkle 1/3 on the now underside of the chicken, and 2/3 on the breast side. Refrigerate, uncovered, for 2 hours.
  
  
  About an hour before you are ready to eat, take your chicken out of the fridge and allow to sit at room temperature for about ten minutes. Next, heat your grill for 5 minutes on high. Clean and oil your grilling grate-- you don't want other nasty food bits sticking to your chicken.
  
  Reduce the back burner to medium low heat, and reduce front to medium high. Place chicken, breast side up, on cooler side of grill, with legs facing toward hotter side. Cover the grill and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of breast registers 110F (about 35 minutes).
  
  
  While the chicken is grilling, make your sauce. Melt butter in a sauce pan with flour for another, loose roux. Add liquids, giblets and spine, onion powder and 1 tbsp paprika and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and allow to simmer until slightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  
  Now, back to your chicken. After you've reached your 110 degrees, flip your bird and place on hotter side of grill, skin side down, with breasts pointed toward cooler side. Press down firmly with a wide, stiff spatula to ensure good contact between bird and grill grates. Cover and cook until skin is crisp and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of breast registers 160°F, about 10 minutes longer.
  
  Transfer chicken to a cutting board and allow to rest, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes. Hack into pieces and serve with strained sauce.
  
  
  MMMMMMMMMMMMMMM.

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