Flat Roasted Chicken with Pan Gravy

I got the idea for this from Lucinda Scala Quinn. She has this great blog Mad Hungry. But I will be honest as I give you the link to her recipe that I did not follow her recipe one bit as I dont follow directions very well. I went as far as the kitchen spears and the cast iron pan and that is where her's and mine differs. But I will give you her recipe none the less in full because she gives beautiful description of how to  cut the bird. One note, she makes a different gravy than what we are making. I wanted to make her pan sauce but my boys prefer my pan gravy. And you have to cook what you boys like.

Flat Roasted Chicken with Pan Gravy
recipe adapted by
Lucinda Scala Quinn's "Mad Hungry"

1 whole (3- to 4-pound) chicken
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes
2 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled

Lucinda's Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Using kitchen shears, cut along both sides of the backbone to remove; discard or reserve for broth, if desired. Open the chicken's legs and spread the bird down flat, skin side up. Press down firmly on the breastbone to flatten. Pat dry with paper towels; season generously with salt and pepper.

Heat a large ovenproof skillet, preferably cast-iron, over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter. Add chicken, skin-side down, to skillet. Let brown without moving, about 3 minutes. Turn chicken, taking care not to break the skin; transfer skillet to oven.

Roast chicken until golden brown and cooked through or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part reaches 165 degrees. Transfer chicken to a cutting board and let stand 10 minutes.

(I did not do this step)

Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice and remaining tablespoon butter to pan, swirling to combine; set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, red-pepper flakes, garlic, and pinch of salt. Cut chicken into pieces and serve immediately drizzled with olive oil mixture and pan sauce.

Ok so here is my bird :)

I opted to let The Fireman cut the bird.

Once you get the back bone cut out, take a paper towel to it, just to make sure it is really dry

I salted and peppered it

Melt some butter and olive oil in a cast iron pan. It really must be a cast iron pan. Do this on the stove

place the bird skin side down. I seasoned the inside of the bird too

I put another pan on the bird just to weight it down

Now she isnt kidding when she says to carefully turn it over to not tear the skin. Oh well.

Place in the oven and cook till completely cooked. I would like to say that she gives a time but she doesn't. My oven is a dinosaur. It took about an hour

Place the bird on a cutting board and let rest for about ten minutes before cutting into pieces

while waiting, make some gravy. This is all you need! This is the secret to my perfect gravy!

Take a couple Tablespoons of the flour (you could use regular flour but I love Wondra flour-no lumps) and whisk into the existing oil in the pan. If you think you have two TB of oil, add two TB of flour.

let it cook for a minute

add chicken stock

pour over your meat and eat!!