A Houseful of Love

I love a good roasted chicken, especially a spatchcocked chicken. However, I also love leftovers, especially when those leftovers are as versatile as chicken! And, unfortunately, with a hungry husband and a very active toddler going through a growth spurt, one chicken doesn’t give us that many leftovers.

So I decided that while I have the oven on, why not roast two chickens?

Two roasted chickens is perfect for us – one for tonight’s dinner and tomorrow’s lunch and one for the freezer (once I pull all the meat off the bones). That also gives me two chicken carcasses to use for bone broth!

Does it take longer to roast two chickens than just one?

Not much. It does take a bit more time to roast two chickens with the legs trussed than one spatchcocked chicken because of the shape of the birds. However, I have found that it does not take significantly longer. Ultimately, it ends up saving me time because I have cooked chicken that I can use in meals later in the week in addition to make that night’s dinner and the next day’s lunch.

What’s the key to success when you roast two chickens at once?

Make sure that both chickens are about the same size. The bigger the difference in size, the bigger the difference in cooking time. If one chicken is significantly bigger than the other, the smaller one will likely be overdone while the bigger one still needs more time.

Fortunately, this recipe is still very forgiving. When chasing a toddler around, sometimes things get left in the oven a bit longer than they should and I’ve found that this cooking method leads to very moist and tender chicken (even the breasts), even when it gets overcooked by 10°F or so.

However, for best results, do your best to monitor it as it gets close to 165°F and pull it out when it’s done!

What are some ways to dress up two roasted chickens?

This recipe is purposely fairly basic – it’s delicious as is, but can be changed in many ways to add variety.

Have fresh herbs growing in your garden? Tuck some between the chicken’s skin and the breast meat before rubbing with the baking powder, salt, and pepper.

Want a more flavorful chicken? Rub it with your favorite rub mixture, or just add some paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, or any other spices you like!

Want an easy one pan meal with veggies cooked in chicken schmaltz (chicken fat)? Add some potatoes, carrots, or other root vegetables to the pan about halfway through.

You can even make this instead of turkey for Thanksgiving or Christmas and stuff the birds with stuffing. Just make sure that the stuffing cooks all the way to 165°F.

How do you turn two roasted chickens into a no-waste meal?

I love cooking a whole chicken because it’s so cost-effective. First of all, a whole chicken is almost always cheaper per pound than any other cut, unless there’s a special sale. Secondly, you can use everything and nothing goes to waste!

After eating your fill, pick all the remaining meat off the chicken carcasses, portioning it in usable quantities. If not using for a meal tomorrow or the next day, freeze it for later.

Then, save all the bones, skin (if it didn’t all get eaten!), and gristly bits for bone broth. Use that bone broth in other recipes or just for cooking pasta or rice to add some extra flavor or protein.

You can also save the juices that collect in the casserole dish – it’s basically bone broth with a bit of extra fat. That fat can be used as cooking oil for the next few days while you use the liquid as broth in a recipe, or just use it all as broth and have a bit of extra richness!

And there you have it – a meal where nothing goes into the trash can!

Ingredients

• 2 whole chickens – make sure they are about the same size
• 2 tsp baking powder – not baking soda!
• 2 tbsp kosher salt – or coarse sea salt
• 1 tsp freshly cracked pepper
• 2 tbsp butter – tallow, olive oil, or other healthy oil will work here as well

Directions

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Pat the chickens dry and place them in a large casserole dish, breast side up.

Step 2: Tie up the legs of the chickens using kitchen twine. Mix the baking powder, salt, and pepper in a small bowl and sprinkle it over the chickens. Lightly rub it in all over the birds.

Step 3: Melt the butter and drizzle it on top.

Step 4: Bake until the thickest part of the chicken breast is 165°F. Check at 45 minutes, then periodically (depending on how close it is). I’ve found that it usually takes mine about an hour and a half.

If you’re going to bake any vegetables in the oven while the chicken cooks, make sure you add them when the remaining time is about the time needed for the veggies (accounting for the chickens’ 10-minute resting time).

Step 5: When chicken breast is 165°F at the thickest point, remove it from the oven and allow it to rest for 10 minutes. Then carve and serve!

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Nutrition Facts

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 440 kcal
Fat: 32g
Total Carbohydrates: 0g
Fiber: 0g
Protein: 37g

The nutrition data provided here is for informational only and is only an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator. It cannot be verified or guaranteed, and should not be used in the treatment of medical conditions. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice This data should be interpreted and used at your own risk.