Splayed Roast Chicken With Caramelized Ramps

By Melissa Clark

Updated Feb. 27, 2024

Splayed Roast Chicken With Caramelized Ramps
David Frank and Krishnan Vasudevan
Total Time
1 hour 35 minutes
Rating
5(851)
Comments
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It may not seem possible to improve on roast chicken cooked in a very hot cast-iron skillet, an easy method that yields a moist, evenly cooked bird. (The thighs, which needs more cooking time, are pressed against the pan, which allows them to cook as quickly as the breast meat.) But here’s a recipe with a clever tweak on that method, one that’s easier than spatchcocking (or butterflying) the chicken, and that makes for a even faster-cooked, juicier bird. Preheat the skillet in a 500-degree oven for about 45 minutes, letting it get blisteringly hot. Meanwhile, take the chicken and snip the skin that connects the legs to the body, splaying the legs open until you feel the joints pop on both sides. Very carefully transfer the chicken to the pan, pressing the legs down into the surface. Ramps, garlic and capers tossed into the pan juices toward the end of the roasting time make for a bright, sweet and salty sauce. A cast-iron skillet is a must here, and if you don’t have one, it’s a worthwhile, and inexpensive, investment. (Watch the video of Melissa Clark making splayed roast chicken here.)

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 1 4½-pound whole chicken, patted dry
  • 2teaspoons kosher salt
  • ½teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1bunch fresh ramps (6 ounces)
  • 1lemon, quartered
  • 1tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 5garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
  • 1tablespoon capers
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

802 calories; 56 grams fat; 15 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 24 grams monounsaturated fat; 12 grams polyunsaturated fat; 7 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 2 grams sugars; 66 grams protein; 1243 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Rub the chicken inside and out with salt and pepper. If you have time, do this 2 to 3 hours ahead and refrigerate the bird uncovered. Otherwise, let it rest uncovered at room temperature while oven heats.

  2. Step 2

    Place a large cast-iron or other heavy skillet in the oven and heat to 500 degrees for 45 minutes. If you salted the chicken in advance, take it out of the fridge so it can warm to room temperature.

  3. Step 3

    Meanwhile, prep the ramps: trim the hairy bottoms and remove the outer layer of skin. Separate the leaves from the bulbs, rinse both gently, and pat dry. Cut any fat bulbs (wider than a pencil) in half lengthwise. Tear the leaves into large pieces.

  4. Step 4

    Transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, cut the skin connecting the legs to the body. Splay the thighs open until you feel the joint pop on each side. Place 2 lemon wedges inside the chicken.

  5. Step 5

    Carefully transfer chicken, breast-side up, to the hot skillet. Press down on the legs so they rest flat on the bottom of the pan. Drizzle the bird with the oil. Roast for 30 minutes. Toss ramp bulbs (not leaves), garlic and capers into the skillet. Stir to coat them with pan juices. Roast for 5 minutes more, then stir again. Continue cooking until ramps are tender and chicken is no longer pink, 5 to 15 minutes more (for a total cooking time of 40 to 50 minutes).

  6. Step 6

    Remove chicken from oven and stir ramp leaves into the pan until just wilted. Let chicken rest for 5 minutes, then serve with the pan juices and ramps, garlic and capers, seasoning everything with juice from the remaining lemon wedges, if desired.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
851 user ratings
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Comments

Bill F

Splaying is the best way to roast a chicken. I've found that a 450 oven works just fine, and avoids the smoking and splattering of fat inside the oven as happens if it's set at 500 as per the recipe. It will just a few more minutes to roast.

Michele

An extraordinarily delicious - and easy - roast chicken recipe that has become a staple in our house. If you cannot find ramps, use (very fresh) scallions - lots of them, both green and white parts. Don't be afraid to increase the amount of capers, too.

ann

Buy a cast iron skillet. Its a cook's essential. I keep mine on the stovetop and use it for everything...the more you use it the better it is. Forget non stick skillets...they are fraught with problems and health concerns. Just clean with stiff (OXO) brush and steaming hot water. A real workhorse at a very cheap price (12" is about $25)

Paul Z

Much modified version of this, so it's more a riff on the technique than an "I made this"... 350°F oven, because if I kick it up to 500 my fire alarm goes off. Don't care for ramps but I did have shallots so I halved them lengthwise and threw them in the cast iron skillet after the bird had been in for 45 minutes. Omitted the capers. The splaying was OK, but I still prefer starting breast down and flipping the bird. May do again, may not.

P R

Convection roast at 425. Smoke alarm still went off. All the vegetables burned to black crisp little briquettes. No liquid or fat left in the pan. Spent 1/2 hour scraping, soaking, scraping, soaking. Next time I will try it in my clay baker with the lid on and at a lower temperature, maybe 350 convection, temp check after 60 minutes. I searched for the word “burned” and only two other people had the same problem. I wish NY Times Cooking had a comments section for “fail” and other cooks can write in and tell us what we did wrong.

M Gregory

Because the chicken was such a tight fit in my skillet, I used a large cast-iron dutch oven to control the spattering. Maybe the best roast chicken ever! One lovely reward was the chicken stock (or sauce) I made after removing the chicken, by adding water to the pan along with the bones that I added as I cut off all the meat. I added a few herbs, and after cooking for a couple of hours, made a rich and delicious chicken stock.

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