Wayfare Tavern's renowned chef, Tyler Florence, has a secret to getting maximum crispness in a roasted chicken. His method involves 'spatchcocking', or butterflying, a process that removes the backbone and lays the bird flat, thus increasing skin exposure to direct heat. While this step can be performed by your local butcher, it's also an easy technique to adopt at home.

Tyler Florence's perfectly roasted chicken is served with a kale Caesar salad, making use of the caramelized roasted garlic from the chicken tossed into the salad for an aromatic finish. For do-it-yourself enthusiasts, the first step for spatchcocking a chicken at home is to pat the chicken dry. With the use of kitchen shears for control and ease, this method boosts the surface area of the bird, leading to crisp, golden skin while simultaneously ensuring an even cook on the breast and thighs. Once adopted, many will find it preferable- and quicker- than cooking an intact whole chicken. Spatchcocking turkey is another delicious application of this technique, particularly favored during Thanksgiving.

To prepare Tyler Florence's succulent dish, you'll need a 4-pound chicken, a tablespoon of olive oil, chopped oregano, thyme, and rosemary, some kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and four crushed garlic cloves. Preheat your oven to 400°F. Use the poultry shears to cut along each side of the chicken backbone and remove it. Afterwards, turn the chicken breast-side up and press on the breastbone to flatten the chicken. Afterwards, rub the chicken all over with olive oil, oregano, thyme, and rosemary before generously seasoning with salt and pepper. Place your prepared chicken on a large rimmed baking sheet, skin side up, and tuck the garlic underneath it, roasting for 45 minutes. Once the skin is browned and an instant-read thermometer reads 160°F in an inner thigh, your chicken can be transferred to a cutting board and rest for about 10 minutes before it's ready to serve.

This special and delectable spatchcock chicken recipe first came to light in Food & Wine's 2014 cookbook entitled Chefs' Easy Weeknight Dinners, contributed by Fredrika Stjärne. Once you've tasted the crispy, evenly-cooked results of the spatchcocking technique, there could be no going back to traditional roasting.