Sweet Tea and Molasses-Brined Spatchcock Chicken

Step 1

Bring the water to a boil in a large saucepan. Remove from the heat and add the tea bags and lemon and orange zests and steep for 5 minutes. Remove the tea bags and add the molasses, sugar, and salt and stir until the molasses and salt are fully dissolved. Add the ice to cool the mixture down.

Step 2

Lay your chicken, breast-side down, on a cutting board. Using sharp kitchen shears, cut along both sides of the backbone to remove it. (You will be cutting through the rib bones, so this will take a little force.) Discard or save the backbone for making stock or soup. Then flip the bird over and press hard down on the breastbone so the chicken lies flat.

Step 3

Once your tea mixture has completely cooled, add the chicken, submerging it completely and letting it sit in the brine in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or up to 16 hours.

Step 4

Remove the chicken from the brine and pat it dry. Place it on a sheet pan or plate and refrigerate it for 2 hours. This will help to dry out the skin.

Step 5

Remove the chicken from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Place a wire rack on a half-sheet pan. Spray the rack with nonstick cooking spray.

Step 6

Lay the chicken breast-side up on the rack. Drizzle with olive oil and rub to coat all the skin.You do not need to salt at this point, as the brine provides all the salt needed. Roast the chicken until an instant-read thermometer registers 160ºF in the thickest part of the thigh, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Check the chicken after about 20 minutes and if the skin is getting too dark, loosely tent with aluminum foil. Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for at least 10 minutes before cutting it into pieces.

Step 7

Prepare a grill for indirect grilling (for gas grills, turn one side on high heat and keep the other side off; for charcoal, place the coals on one side of the grill). Carefully oil the grill grates. Place the chicken, breast-side down, on the hot side of the grill and cook just until the skin shows grill marks, about 4 minutes. Turn the chicken over and cook the other side just until it is marked as well, another 4 minutes. Move the chicken to the cool side of grill, cover, and cook until the thickest part of the thigh registers 160ºF, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the grill and let it rest for at least 10 minutes before cutting into pieces.