Best for: A whole chicken that tastes like a barbecue-shop bird.
A spatchcocked chicken is the fastest route to barbecue-shop flavor at home: flat on the grill, skin crisping evenly, meat seasoned the Cantonese way with five-spice, soy, and a little honey in the baste. Cutting the backbone out is the only knife skill involved, and kitchen shears do most of it.
Grill: Two zones, indirect medium-high heat; 400°F. Equipment: Grill, kitchen shears, tongs, small brush, instant-read thermometer.
Ingredients
Marinate: 2 hours. Rest: 10 minutes. Total: 3 hours 5 minutes.
- 1 whole chicken (about 4 lb), spatchcocked (backbone removed, pressed flat)
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
- 1 tablespoon honey, plus 1 teaspoon for basting
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil, plus more for the grate
- 2 teaspoons five-spice powder
- 1 teaspoon fine table salt
- 2 garlic cloves, finely grated
Directions
Whisk the soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, honey, neutral oil, five-spice, salt, and garlic. Rub it all over the chicken, including under the skin of the breast. Cover and marinate for 2 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
Set up a two-zone grill and heat the indirect zone to 400°F. Oil the grate.
Lay the chicken skin side up on the indirect side, close the lid, and grill for 30 minutes, until the skin is set and golden.
Brush the skin with the extra teaspoon of honey thinned with a teaspoon of water, and grill for 10 minutes more.
Cook until the breast registers 165°F and the thigh registers at least 165°F as well, with the juices running clear.
Rest for 10 minutes, then carve through the joints in the Chinese style or into quarters, and serve with the pan juices.
Grilling tip: Spatchcocking is the crisp-skin secret here — a bird that lies flat cooks evenly, so the skin finishes at the same moment as the meat.
