Step 1

Butterfly

To butterfly a chicken, place it breast-side down on a cutting board. Use kitchen shears to cut straight up both sides of the backbone from the cavity to the neck. Remove the backbone and save for chicken stock. Open the chicken like a book and flip it over so it’s breast-side up. Press down firmly on the breasts until you hear a pop. Tie the feet together with butcher twine to make the chicken easier to turn on the grill.

HOW TO Butterflying

Step 2

Marinate

In a glass baking dish, whisk together the olive oil, oregano and garlic plus the zest and juice of 1 lemon. Add the chicken and turn to coat. Cover and let marinate in the refrigerator for 2 to 8 hours.

HOW TO Marinating

Step 3

Grill

Heat a lightly greased grill or grill pan to medium heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade, letting the excess drip away. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Place the chicken on the grill, skin side down, and slowly grill until the skin becomes a crispy golden brown, about 15 minutes. Turn the chicken over, close the grill cover and continue grilling until the chicken is cooked through, another 30 minutes. The chicken is done when it feels firm to the touch and a meat thermometer inserted in the center reaches 170°F. Remove the chicken from the grill and let rest it 10 minutes before carving.

HOW TO Grilling

Step 4

Serve

While the chicken is resting, cut the remaining 2 lemons in half and place on the hot grill. Grill for 2 to 3 minutes until the lemons have softened and have grill marks. Cut up the chicken into 8 pieces and place on a serving platter. Garnish with grilled lemons on the side. Squeeze grilled lemon juice over the chicken as desired.