Herb-butter whole chicken dinner

Let’s make it.

1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Using kitchen shears, cut along both sides of each chicken’s backbone and remove it. Turn breast-side up and press down firmly so the chicken lies flat. Pat dry.
2. Mix the softened butter with olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika and Italian seasoning to make a seasoned paste. Jadon uses one stick of butter for two chickens.
3. Gently loosen the skin over the breasts and thighs. Spread about half of the butter mixture under the skin, then rub the rest over the outside. Place the chickens in a foil-lined roasting dish with room around them.
4. Roast for about 45–60 minutes, depending on size. Use a food thermometer to confirm at least 165°F in the thickest breast and innermost thigh, away from bone. Keep cooking if either is below that temperature.
5. While the chickens roast, rinse the jasmine rice and cook it according to your rice cooker’s measurements and instructions.
6. Rest the cooked chickens for about 20 minutes before carving. Spoon some of their hot pan juices over them.
7. For the spinach, heat a little olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant and just lightly golden. Add the spinach and turn it through the pan until wilted.
8. Finish the spinach with about 1 teaspoon of vinegar, black pepper and a pinch of salt. Remove from the heat.
9. Carve the rested chicken. Serve with rice and spinach, spooning the cooked pan juices over the rice and chicken.

Make it work for you

Jadon uses apple cider vinegar for the spinach and says another vinegar works too. For a smaller batch, he describes half a stick of butter for one chicken.

The detail that matters

Pat the skin dry and flatten the chicken before roasting. Use a thermometer even when the skin looks golden; the video’s visual check cannot establish doneness.