Spatchcocking is the speediest, easiest way to grill a whole bird. It cuts down on time and leaves you with crisp, crackly skin. Weighing it down with bricks means more grill-to-bird contact, which ensures super crackling-crisp skin.
Recipe information
Yield
4 Servings
Ingredients
Chicken
Avocado, Scallion, and Onion
Special Equipment
Preparation
Chicken
Step 1
Prepare grill for high, indirect heat (for a charcoal grill, bank coals on 1 side of grill; for a gas grill, leave 1 or 2 burners off). Place chicken on work surface, skin side up. Using your palms, press firmly on breastbone to flatten breast. It is likely you will hear a crack. This means you’re doing it right.
Step 2
Rub chicken with oil; season with salt and pepper. Tuck wings slightly under breast. Place chicken, skin side down, over indirect heat, set bricks on top, and grill, covered, until skin is golden and crisp, 25–30 minutes. Using tongs, remove bricks; turn chicken, skin side up. Replace bricks and continue grilling until chicken is cooked through and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of thigh registers 165°, 25–30 minutes longer.
Avocado, Scallion, and Onion
Step 3
Prepare a grill for medium-high heat. Combine onion and ½ Tbsp. oil on a baking sheet, season with kosher salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Grill until softened and slightly charred in spots, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
Step 4
Meanwhile, combine scallions and ½ Tbsp. oil on same baking sheet, season with kosher salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Grill, turning often, until softened and slightly charred in spots, about 2 minutes. Transfer to plate with onion.
Step 5
Rub cut sides of avocados with 1 Tbsp. oil. Grill avocados, cut side down, until charred, about 30 seconds. Transfer to plate with onion and scallions. Drizzle avocados with oil, season with sea salt, and sprinkle with chile. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing over avocados.
