Cajun Roast Chicken

This Cajun Roast Chicken is truly droolworthy. It has the most delicious spicy crisp skin, juicy meat and a rich garlic Cajun butter that is drizzled over top before serving. It is everything you could ever want in a roast chicken. This chicken is Whole30, Paleo, Keto, Dairy Free, Grain Free, Gluten Free, and Specific Carbohydrate Diet Legal.

In these crazy and completely terrifying times, I am working on trying to share more recipes that require just a few ingredients that you will likely already have in your house.

First up is this Cajun roast chicken that contains just a few ingredients and can feed the whole family (and even set you up with leftovers for the next day!).

Both ghee and butter work for the spice mixture, it really just comes down to what you have in your fridge, or what diet you are on (ghee is the Whole30 friendly choice). You can up the amount chili powder, if you like it with a kick, or swap the oregano for thyme or rosemary if that’s all you have on hand.

SPATCHCOCKING FAQ’S

• What is spatchcocking? It is a simple 2 step process in which you remove the backbone from the center of the chicken enabling it to lie completely flat.
• Does it make a difference in how the chicken cooks? YES! By flattening the chicken this enables it to cook more evenly all around and helps to ensure that the breasts don’t dry out before the legs are done cooking. It also results in a lot more crispy skin which is a HUGE bonus in my books. 
• How do you spatchcock a chicken? It sounds intimidating but is actually incredibly easy. Flip the chicken over so that the breasts are facing down. The backbone runs done the bird from the neck to tail. Using a knife or sharp kitchen scissors cut all the way down one side of the backbone, and then repeat on the other side so that you can completely remove it. Done! That’s it, so easy. Flip the chicken over and press down firmly on it to completely flatten. 
• Sorry, I just don’t want to do this. Ok ok, if I still haven’t convinced you then you can leave the chicken whole when roasting.  Bake it for an hour and 15 minutes at 425º but please promise that you will try this technique out sometime soon, it’s a total game changer. 

COULD I USE THIS ON OTHER CUTS OF CHICKEN?

You definitely can! Personally I find that skin on cuts of chicken work best, so you can spread the spices over chicken legs and drumsticks or skin on chicken breasts or thighs. As a general rule for cooking time:

Drumsticks: 35 minutes at 425 degrees Fahrenheit

Bone in Breasts: 35 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit

Bone in Thighs: 35 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit

Here are a few easy side dishes that you can serve alongside the chicken:

• The Best Cauliflower Mash
• Spinach & Artichoke Stuffed Mushrooms
• Caramelized Leek, Fennel & Onion Gratin
• Grilled Eggplant
• Lemon Roasted Green Beans with Almonds & Shallots

If you make this recipe let me know in the comment section below, I would love to hear what you think or take a photo and tag me (@everylastbite_) on Instagram, I love seeing your photos!

Cajun Roast Chicken

Every Last Bite

This Cajun Roast Chicken is truly droolworthy. It has spicy crisp skin, juicy meat and a rich garlic Cajun butter that is drizzled over top before serving.

4.75 from 4 votes

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 55 minutes mins

Diets Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Grain Free, Keto, Paleo, Specific Carbohydrate Diet Legal, Whole30

Servings 0

Calories 438 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 1 4-5lbs whole chicken
• 3 tbsp softened ghee or butter
• 1 1/2 tsp Paprika
• 1 tsp Dried Oregano
• 1/2 tsp Chili Powder
• 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder (omit if following SCD)
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 3/4 tsp Pepper
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp chopped parsley

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit
• To spatchcock the chicken, place the whole bird breast side down on a cutting board and use your fingers to locate the backbone which should run all the way down from neck to tail. Use kitchen scissors or a sharp knife to cut along the right side of the backbone, and then cut all the way along the left side of it so that the backbone can be removed. Now flip the bird over and press down firmly on the breasts to flatten the bird. Rinse the inside of the chicken out and place it in a large baking dish or cast iron skillet. Pat the skin dry using a paper towel.
• In a bowl stir together the softened ghee (or butter) and paprika, oregano, chili powder, optional garlic powder, salt and pepper. Once well mixed, use your hands to smear the Cajun ghee/butter all over the skin of the chicken.
• Place the chicken in the oven to bake for 40 minutes until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast registers 160º Fahrenheit. About half way through cooking spoon some of the liquid from the bottom of the pan overtop of the chicken before returning it to the oven to continue cook.
• Once the chicken is done cooking, remove it from the oven and pour all of the liquid from the bottom of the baking dish into a small sauce pan on high heat. Place a large piece of tin foil over the roast chicken to keep it warm while it rests.
• Add the minced garlic to the sauce pan with the liquid from the bottom of the pan and bring to a gentle simmer. Leave to simmer for 5-7 minutes until the liquid has reduced by half and then add in the lemon juice and parsley.
• Carve the roast chicken and spoon the garlic Cajun sauce drizzled over top.

Nutrition

Calories: 438kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 2gFat: 46gSaturated Fat: 28gCholesterol: 116mgSodium: 1188mgPotassium: 216mgFiber: 3gSugar: 1gCalcium: 73mgIron: 2mg

Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below and let us know how it was!