Stay as close to the backbone as possible. The closer the cut is to the backbone, the less meat you’ll lose. Use sharp, durable kitchen shears. Sawing the backbone away with a knife will be much more difficult and may increase your chances of accidentally getting cut.

Freeze the backbone, if desired. Chicken backbones can be used to create stock or soup.

Use paper towels. Avoid using cloth dish towels. Salmonella and other bacteria could be lurking on the surface of the bird, making disposable paper towels a much healthier option. Think twice before rinsing the chicken. Home cooks have been rinsing chicken for years, but the USDA actually warns against doing so since bacteria on the raw chicken spreads more easily through water and could contaminate other surfaces. If you do decide to rinse the chicken to remove blood, only use cold water.

You can use more or less salt and pepper, if desired. The correct amount is mostly a matter of personal taste. Add thyme, rosemary, and basil for a more aromatic blend. Mix about 1 tsp (5 ml) of each herb to create a blend before spreading it over the chicken. Salt and pepper to taste. [1] X Research source Create a spicier blend with paprika, chili, garlic, parsley, and oregano. Mix together 1 tsp (5 ml) paprika, 1/4 tsp (1. 25 ml) chili powder, 1/4 tsp (1. 25 ml) garlic powder, 1/2 cup (118 ml) fresh chopped parsley, and 1/4 cup (60 ml) fresh chopped oregano. Also salt and pepper the chicken to taste. Rub some of the seasoning blend beneath the skin. Doing so gets the flavor of the seasonings onto the meat, preventing the flavor from sticking to the skin alone. This is especially important if using spices other than salt and pepper.

Point the wings inward. Since there is less meat on the wings, they should be pointed in toward the legs to prevent them from cooking too quickly. You can also leave them flat in the roasting pan, but the meat is more likely to dry out if left flat.

Peel and cut four potatoes. You can cut the potatoes into wedges or 1/2-inch (1. 25-mm) slices. Slide the potatoes in between the chicken and the sides of the pan. Create a vegetable medley. Cut 1 red onion, 2 zucchini, and 2 yellow squash into 1/2-inch (1. 25-mm) slices. Surround the chicken with the vegetables, distributing each vegetable evenly around the chicken. [2] X Research source

Pour the remaining butter over the vegetables in the pan, if you added them. Give the vegetables a quick toss with a fork to coat them evenly with the butter. Substitute olive oil in place of the melted butter for a healthier alternative. Olive oil will add enough moisture and flavor to the meat, but it tends to have a lighter taste and less cholesterol.

Check to make sure its done using a meat thermometer. Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the meat, but do not allow the thermometer to touch the bone since the bone will be hotter than the meat itself. The internal temperature of the meat must reach 160 degrees Fahrenheit (70 degrees Celsius).

Spatchcocking is slightly different from butterflying because the breast bone is removed along with the backbone, allowing the bird to become even flatter than it would be if butterflied. It is primarily used for smaller fowl, such as Cornish game hens and pheasants. It can also be used with chickens, however.

Use sharp, sturdy kitchen shears. Shears will allow you to safely make clean cuts, but sawing out the backbone with a knife will increase your odds of accidentally cutting yourself. Make the cuts as close to the backbone as possible. Cutting too far away from the backbone will cause you to lose more meat.

Save the backbone for later use. Chicken backbones can be frozen and used later for stock or soup.

The breast bone will be diamond-shaped.

Use a paring knife to make the initial cut. Since you don’t want to make a clean cut through the meat, you should avoid using kitchen shears. A paring knife will allow you to cut into the meat without cutting through it. Use kitchen shears to separate the bone from the meat. The breast bone may stick to the breast meat beneath the bone, making it difficult to pull the bone out. If this happens, use your kitchen shears to snip away at the meat directly beneath the bone in order to detach it.