Butterflied/spatchcocked roast chicken with lemon garlic injection.

• 1 whole chicken
• 1 large onion
• 3 small sweet potatoes or 2 medium
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp salt

• Using a sharp knife or kitchen shears, remove the backbone from the chicken. You may discard. I retain and roast it with the chicken so it’s fat renders into the pan
• Lay chicken flat in roasting pan and push down in breast a little to make it lay flat.
• Mix butter, garlic powder, salt, and lemon juice together
• Using a flavor injector, inject mixture into breasts and thighs.
• Let sit uncovered in fridge for two hours.
• Slice onions and sweet potatoes into thick slices. Lift chicken up and arrange slices on roasting pan and lay chicken back down in slices.
• Roast at 400 for 60 minutes. Baste halfway theough with melted butter Test and continue cooking until thermometer reads 165 in thigh near bone. Depending on the size of your chicken this can take up to 30 more minutes.
• Let chicken rest ten minutes.

I was so busy with side dishes I forgot to take a picture of the finished product. It was mildly flavorful and very moist. We use the roasted onions as the “sauce,” because they’re so soft and spreadable and probably my favorite part.

I hate over marinated chicken, so I bought an injector, and it works great to really penetrate throughout the meat. I usually hold the injection hole closed with one finger for a few moments to give the fluid a chance to seep into the meat without oozing all out. Injecting just before cooking will yield very little flavor. Make sure you inject a few hours ahead.