Here we go again....chicken help please!?

[AZWildcat]

Hit the chicken with direct high heat for a few minutes at the end of the cook. See what that does.

I am thinking this is yer best bet. Hit it skin side down on the grill for a few minutes when ya get the bird to temp.

Done that...seems to work pretty good on thighs, but when I try the half chicken, dries the white meat just a bit. Got some ideas from a few old books I picked up at Bookmans this week. Gonna try some and modify a few things. I'll let ya'll know. Thanks to those who gave some tips!

[smokin hawg]

I found out some tips while talking to a chicken producer. Last 2 chicken boxes i turned in sucked. first time i asked for a smaller chicken 2- 2 1/2 pound. this chicken was tender and juicy but was too small. next time I asked for a larger bird around 3 1/2- 4 lb. thights were great, but chicken was tough. I spoke with the chicken dude and now I will try 2 3/4 to 3 lb.
Size does matter with chicken.
see you in Mesquite, nv

[Harpo]

I wouldn't advise anyone to do what I'm going to do but my first comp. I'm turning in skinless. There is no rule against in KCBS judging but I can not get a bite threw skin. My thighs are very juicy and full of flavor  but I can't conquer that d$^% skin.

[n2dabluebbq]

think high heat at the end Jerry.

[wuykats]

I prefer the term "spatchcocked" rather than "butterflied".  Just sounds better IMHO

[mustang]

I prefer the term "spatchcocked" rather than "butterflied".  Just sounds better IMHO

I've seen some recipes distinguish between the two words.  In one Italian cookbook, for example, the instructions to butterfly a whole chicken say to split through the breast leaving the backbone intact and then flatten the bird.  Spatchcocking usually implies removing the backbone entirely and then flattening the bird leaving the breast intact. These words can describe two different ways to open up and flatten a chicken, although many folks use the words interchangeably.

At the Hispanic markets called "Pro's Ranch Market" in AZ, I've seen butterflied whole chickens grilling on their Santa Maria style grills with the breast split open and flattened and the backbone still intact.  No part of the chicken is missing -- it's just split completely open at the breast and flattened.  

The advantage to this method is you get the best of all possible worlds. The chicken is flat, so it grills or roasts more quickly than an upright bird. But you waste nothing. You don't lose the backbone or the oysters as you do with spatchcocking. I love homemade chicken stock, but I buy a bag of necks for the stockpot rather than throw all my backbones in there.

Here's a link to a recipe with photos showing a whole chicken both before and after cooking with the breast split open and the backbone still intact.  Scroll down through the recipe to see all the photos:

https://gowstakeout.wordpress.com/tag/roast-chicken/