Spatchcock Chicken with Cauliflower Rice & Corn Topped With a Mexican Crema
If you’re looking for the taste of summer, this is it. Nicole and I took a cruise to our local state park and found a beautiful spot near the Horsetooth Reservoir in Fort Collins. This is the first time I spatchcocked a chicken and it was super simple. Two of the major benefits I found in using this method is that the meat really absorbs the flavor all while staying drop-dead juicy.
Earlier in the day, we prepped our cauliflower rice at home and brought it in our cooler. If you’ve never made cauliflower rice, it’s super simple! All you have to do is bake cauliflower florets until crisp/golden brown with some salt and pepper on an oiled baking sheet. Either place cauliflower in a large bowl to gently mash or use a blender. Don’t blend or mash too much – you still want it to be chunky. Head to my Instagram (here) to watch how I made this dish!
Total Cook Time: 1.5 hours
Meal Perks: Healthy, low-carb, protein-packed, and gluten-free.
Difficulty: Moderate
Ingredients: Olive Oil | Onion Powder | All-Purpose Seasoning (I went with Noble Made) | Garlic Powder | Tajin | Chili Powder | Salt & Pepper | Apple Cider Vinegar | Fresh Garlic Cloves | Frozen or Canned Corn | Cauliflower | One Yellow Onion | 2 Limes | Fresh Cilantro | Plain Yogurt | Roasted Chicken Base from Better Than Bouillon.
How To:
The Chicken
First, spatchcock the chicken before seasoning. Rinse the entire chicken under cold water and lather with oil. Season both sides with Onion Powder, Your choice of all-purpose seasoning (I used Noble Made), Garlic Powder, Tajin, and Chili Powder. Feel free to add salt and pepper but it isn’t necessary. Put the chicken in a sealable bag and add apple cider vinegar. Store the chicken in your fridge to let it marinate.
Fire up the PKGO and add the chicken skin side down for 20-30 minutes or until the skin is browned. Flip the chicken over and let cook for roughly an hour or until the thickest part of the chicken reaches 165-175 degrees. When cooking a chicken like this, I highly recommend using an instant meat thermometer such as the Thermapen® ONE. No matter the type of meat, I depend on this thermometer — nothing kills a great picnic like undercooked meat.
The Prepped Cauliflower Rice & Corn
Heat up a pan and add garlic. Add corn once the garlic browns – season with Tajin. Once browned, add the corn mixture to your cauliflower rice. Juice a whole lime over the cauliflower and corn – stir.
The Crema
Dice up an onion in a pan and brown. Add roasted chicken base from Better Than Bouillon and let caramelize. In a medium-sized bowl, add plain yogurt to a bowl, half of a lime, cilantro, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and chili powder. Add your caramelized onions and stir.
How to Serve
Grab a bowl to add your cauliflower rice & corn, some juicy chicken, topped with the Mexican Crema – go ahead, be generous with it!
