For an evenly cooked roast chicken that comes out of the hot oven faster with crispy skin, Spatchcock Chicken is my go-to recipe, perfect for Sunday dinners. After the first tender and juicy bite, bursting with tangy and savory Mediterranean flavors, you may never make roast chicken the same way again.
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What’s in Spatchcocked Chicken?
This old Irish recipe for dispatching the unlucky rooster to the dinner table involves cutting out the backbone of the chicken with a sharp knife. Perfectly seasoned with fresh thyme, lemon, and other staple ingredients, the flavor of this juicy roasted chicken recipe is unbeatable.
- Fresh Thyme: Fresh thyme is a fragrant and flavorful Mediterranean herb that brings out the best savory flavor in any chicken dish.
- Spices: The other seasonings and spices in this recipe are classic pantry staples you likely already have on hand, such as garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika.
- Garlic: No chicken recipe would be complete without the addition of garlic, the holy grail of seasonings!
- Lemon: The bright and fresh taste of the lemon zest perfectly complements the other spices.
- Butter: When spread beneath the chicken skin with the herbs, the butter helps create an out-of-this-world flavor and crispy skin.
- Chicken: No roosters are needed for this recipe. Buy a fresh whole chicken, preferably antibiotic-free or free-range.
How to Make a Spicy Roasted Chicken
If you want to kick up the heat of the chicken and make it spicier, add more red spices to the recipe, such as harissa powder, cayenne pepper, or crushed red pepper flakes.
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Spatchcocking a chicken helps it to roast more quickly and evenly. Since different parts of a chicken cook at different rates, traditional roast chicken can end up with either dry breasts or undercooked thighs. When you flatten the chicken onto the baking sheet, it allows all of the parts to bake at the same rate.
To spatchcock a chicken, use sharp kitchen shears to cut the backbone out of a chicken, then flip the chicken and press firmly on the breast bone to flatten the chicken onto the baking sheet.
There is no need to flip spatchcocked chicken while cooking it.
Spatchcocked chicken is finished baking when the breasts read 165°F and the thighs read between 165-175°F on an instant-read thermometer.
How to Store and Reheat Roast Spatchcock Chicken
Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes, or until warmed through.
How to Freeze Spatchcock Roast Chicken
To freeze the chicken, remove the meat from the bones and place it in an airtight container or Ziplock bag to store for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
What to Serve with Roasted Spatchcock Chicken
There are so many side dishes that go perfectly with this roasted chicken, such as Crockpot Mashed Potatoes, Bourbon Green Beans with Bacon (Skillet Green Beans), and Corn Casserole. You may also want to serve Dinner Rolls with your feast.
Spatchcock Chicken Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon ground paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ½ lemon zested
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted (½ stick)
- 1 (4-pound) whole chicken
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a small dish, combine the thyme, salt, onion powder, paprika, pepper, garlic, lemon zest, and butter.1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon ground paprika, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, 3 cloves garlic, ½ lemon, 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Place the chicken, breast side down, onto the prepared baking sheet..1 (4-pound) whole chicken
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels.
- Locate the backbone of the chicken. Using a pair of kitchen shears, cut through the ribs along both sides of the backbone. Remove the backbone.
- Once the backbone is removed, spread the rib cavity apart. The chest bone runs down the middle of the rib cavity. Use your knife to score down the breast bone.
- Flip the chicken over and push firmly on the center of the chicken where the breast bone is, so the chicken lays flat.
- Spread half of the the butter herb mixture all over the chicken and underneath the skin by the breasts and thighs. Then, flip it over and spread the rest on the exterior and inside the rib cavity.
- Flip the chicken over again so it lays flat on the sheet pan.
- Roast for 40-45 minutes, or until the internal temperature at the thickest part of the breast reaches 160-165°F.
- Let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing.
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
Becky’s tips
- You can use olive oil or avocado oil instead of the butter for the rub.
- Feel free to change up the herbs and spices to suit your personal tastes.
- After the chicken has been rubbed with spices, it can be refrigerated for 2 hours or up to overnight before baking. This will help deepen the flavor and ensure the crispiest skin.
- Let the chicken rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing to lock in the juices.
Nutrition Information
