Preparing butterflied chicken

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Ingredients

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Directions

1. With the breast side down and the tail of the chicken facing you, use kitchen shears to cut along one side of the back bone down its entire length.

2. With the breast side still down, turn the neck end to face you and cut along the other side of the backbone and remove it.

3. Turn the chicken breast side up; open the chicken out on the work surface. Use the palm of your hand to flatten it.

4. Make half-inch slits on either side of each breast about one inch from the tip; stick the legs into these openings.

5. Use the smooth face of a mallet to pound the chicken to approximately even thickness.

6. Loosen the skin on each leg and thigh; rub herb mixture under the skin.

7. Loosen the breast skin; rub remaining herb mixture under the skin.

8. To carve the butterflied chicken, use kitchen shears to cut along the breastbone. Since the breastbone is broken and the meat is flattened during pounding, this should be easy.

9. Once the breast has been split, only the skin holds the portions together. Separate each leg and thigh from each breast and wing.

Cook's Illustrated September/October 1994 Submitted By DIANE LAZARUS On 12-27-94

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