It’s a tiger, it’s a chicken... together it’s tigken
It’s finally here, the last regular season game of Carolina football. As usual, the game is with USC’s Number 1 rival, Clemson and no matter how the rest of the season has gone, whoever wins this match-up in Death Valley gets to claim in-state supremacy for the next 12 months.
Don’t read too much into it, Gamecock faithful, but Chef Ramone Dickerson of Columbia’s 2 Fat 2 Fly (he IS a USC grad), is preparing roasted chicken for the highlight of your tailgate meal.
Tigken
serves 4 to 6 people
1 large chicken, about 4 to 5 pounds
2 tablespoons Crescent olive oil, flavor of your choice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon baking powder (optional)
Set oven rack to upper-middle position and preheat oven to 500°F. Using sharp kitchen shears or knife, remove spine from chicken. Set spine aside. Flatten chicken by placing flat skin side up on cutting board and applying firm pressure to breast bone. Rub chicken on all surfaces with 1 tablespoon oil. Combine 1 tablespoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, and 1 teaspoon baking powder (if using, the baking powder will help crisp the skin) in a small bowl. Sprinkle all over chicken.
Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Position chicken so that breasts are aligned with center of baking sheet and legs are close to edge. Roast until thickest part of breast (closest to the bone) registers 150 degrees on an instant-read thermometer and the joint between thighs and body registers at least 170°F, about 45 minutes, reducing the heat to 450°F if the chicken starts to darken too quickly.
Ramone Dickerson
This story was originally published November 23, 2016 at 12:49 PM with the headline "It’s a tiger, it’s a chicken... together it’s tigken."