Peach and Habanero Roasted Chicken
I absolutely love making this Whole30 spatchchock chicken with peaches and habaneros! If you haven’t tried your hand at making any kind of oven roasted spatchcock chicken, it’s time to join the spatchcock chicken club! One day soon, I’ll upload a how-to video for an easy step by step. It is such a quick way to feed several mouths or an easy meal prepping option. I’m telling you, this sweet and spicy oven roasted spatchcock chicken delivers.
Kevin has a mini pepper farm in our backyard (more on that later), so I am always looking for new ways to cook with the variety of peppers he grows. I found that peaches pair SO well with habaneros.
What You’ll Need for the Marinade
- Peaches – if you have peaches that are over ripe, make this recipe! Any kind of soft-ish peach will work. I have even used frozen peaches when they aren’t in season, see more below in Tips and Tricks.
- Garlic – if you know me, you know I never skimp on the garlic!
- EVOO – the extra virgin olive oil helps to make up the base of the marinade and prevent sticking.
- Basil – dried basil and fresh basil work best for the marinade. If all you have is dried, add an extra tbsp. If all you have is fresh, put an extra handful in the bag for marinating.
- Habaneros – sometimes these peppers are hard to find in the grocery store, occasionally I see them at Whole Foods, or in variety packs at Sprouts. They are in season starting mid-August. If you can’t find habanero, try a serrano pepper or jalapeno.
- Salt and pepper – the seasonings you don’t want to leave out! I use Kosher salt, if you only have table salt, then only use 3-4 teaspoons. Typically the rule of thumb for kosher salt to table salt is to 1/2 the amount.
- Balsamic Vinegar – don’t skimp here, the balsamic vinegar helps to tenderize your bird and really enhances the flavor!
Tips and Tricks
1. Remove the fresh basil before roasting.
Yes! There’s no need to roast the fresh basil in with the chicken. If you forgot to take it out, it’s not the end of the world.
2. De-Seed those peppers!
When de-seeding the habaneros (or any pepper for that matter!), try holding the stem with one hand while using your other other hand to slice the peppers and remove the seeds with your knife. This way, you don’t actually touch the spicey parts of the pepper!
3. Opt for frozen peaches
If peaches are out of season, or are not quite ripe enough, head on over to the freezer section and grab a bag of frozen peaches. Be sure to let the peaches thaw before adding them to the marinade.
4. Spatchcock chicken pointers!
- Turn the chicken breast side down, find the backbone and cut it out.
- Flip the chicken breast side up, and butterfly the legs a bit.
- Press firmly at the center of the breastbone with the heel of your hand until you hear a crack. This allows the chicken to lay flat and cook evenly.
FAQ
What should I use to spatchcock the chicken?
A great pair of kitchen shears are the best option. It is possible to use a sharp knife as well, but I HIGHLY recommend investing in some nice kitchen shears, they are invaluable!
Why do you need to spatchcock the chicken?
You’re the boss! If spatchcocking the chicken is not the business for you, that’s fine. But, give it a try or ask someone to do it for you. When you spatckcock the chicken, the bird lays flat when cooking, causing the meat to cook evenly. Oftentimes when you roast a whole chicken without spatchcocking, the breast cooks faster and ends up drying out by the time the dark meat is cooked through.
I don’t have a Cast Iron skillet, can I use a baking pan?
Absolutely! Any oven safe pan or dish works great! Just make sure whatever dish you end up using is at least 1 inch deep to catch any drippings. However, I do highly recommend looking into getting yourself a cast iron skillet in the near future.
Why can’t I add the remaining marinade on the chicken?
I suggest not adding the excess marinade because it will burn in the oven and you’ll have one smokey kitchen. Trust me, the chicken absorbs plenty of flavor.
I forgot the marinade overnight, should I cook something else?
The chicken will absorb most of the flavor if you marinade for at least 4 hours. Even if you can marinade for 45 minutes, the chicken will still absorb flavors, but try to marinate for 4 hours next time to really experience the full flavor the recipe delivers.
What can I substitute for the habaneros, my local grocery store doesn’t carry them?
My personal preference is substituting serrano peppers for the habanero, but jalapenos work well too!
Storage Info
This spatchcock chicken can be stored in an airtight container for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. Or, you can absolutely freeze leftovers in a resealable bag. Be sure to remove as much excess air as possible and store for up to 3 months.
Mix it up & Make it your own
I have tried the recipe with pineapple instead of peaches and it turned out pretty darn good! Mix it up, and let me know the combo’s you used!
What should you serve this chicken with?
- This chicken pairs great with my Grilled Peach and Burrata Salad recipe if you want to stick with the peach theme.
- Some sauteed power greens and my roasted potatoes are also great (if you choose to roast potatoes, but pop them in on the lower rack, it may add a few minutes to the chicken’s cooking time).
- Mashed potatoes would go deliciously with this as well, you can choose to peel your potatoes or keeps the skins on!
I truly hope you enjoy spatchcock chicken as much as we do! As always, feel free to share any tips or tricks you discovered work well when making this dish. I’d love to learn more!
ENJOY!
Peach and Habenero Roasted Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken
- 2 peaches roughly chopped
- 1/2 tbsp minced garlic
- 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1.5 tbsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tbsp basil dried
- 1/2 tbsp fresh cracked black pepper
- 1-2 sweet basil (several leaves on it) fresh
- 3 habeneros, de-seeded diced
Instructions
- Spachcock your chicken, this is where you remove the backbone of the chicken for a more even cook on your bird. If you have never done this before, refer to my how-to post on spachcocking a chicken.
- In a large ziplock bag, combine all the ingredients except the chicken and seal the bag making sure there is little air left in the bag.
- Massage the ingredients well, to really break up the peaches and combine.
- Add chicken to the bag and re-seal with the least amount of air possible. Be sure the really move and massage the marinade around to generously coat your bird.
- While still in the ziplock, place the chicken breast side down on a large plate or bowl and put in refridgerater or 4 hourse or over night.
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Place marinated chicken in a roasting pan or cast iron skillet, breast side up. Do NOT drizzle left over marinade into the skillet.
- When placing the chicken in the oven, orient the chicken so the legs are closests to the back of the oven.
- Roast the chicken for 40-45 minutes or until the thickest part of the meat is 165°F.
- Enjoy!
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