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1
To Butterfly a Chicken: With heavy shears or a cleaver, cut down close to the backbone on each side, and remove the bone.
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2
Spread the chicken open, skin side up, and pound on the breast with your fist to flatten the chicken.
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3
Cut off and discard the little nubbins at the wing elbows, and fold the wings akimbo.
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4
To hold the legs in place, make 1/2-inch slits in the skin on each side of the lower breast and tuck the drumstick ends through the slits.
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5
Preheat the broiler to high.
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6
Brush the chicken all over with butter and oil and arrange it skin side down in a shallow pan.
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7
Set it under the broiler so the chicken surface is about 6 inches from the heat source.
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8
Let broil for about 5 minutes, then baste rapidly with the butter and oil, and continue for another 5 minutes.
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9
The surface should be browning nicely; if not, adjust the heat or the distance of chicken from broiler.
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10
Baste again, this time with the juices accumulated in the pan, and broil another 5 minutes.
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11
Then season with salt and pepper, turn the chicken skin side up, and season the surface.
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12
Continue broiling and basting with the pan juices every 5 minutes for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the chicken is done (see Notes).
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13
Remove the chicken to a carving board and let it rest for 5 minutes.
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14
Meanwhile, make the deglazing sauce by first spooning cooking fat off the juices in the pan.
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15
Then stir the shallot into the pan and simmer for a minute or so on top of the stove, until the juices are syrupy.
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16
Swirl in the enrichment butter, pour over the chicken, and serve.
