This recipe for Spatchcock Chicken Recipe makes a cozy, comforting dinner. The chicken roasts up juicy with crispy skin, and with simple ingredients, it’s ready in about an hour.
Jump to:
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe For Spatchcock Chicken
- Ingredient Information And Substitutions
- How To Make This Spatchcock Chicken Recipe
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Tips For Making A Spatchcock Chicken Roast
- What To Serve With Marinated Spatchcock Chicken
- Other Chicken Recipes To Try
- Spatchcock Chicken Recipe
Why You’ll Love This Recipe For Spatchcock Chicken
There is something so traditional and so classic about roasting a whole chicken. I’ll admit, it used to intimidate me. I worried about dry white meat and all those “extra” steps.
One day, I discovered that you can cut out the backbone and cook the whole chicken completely flat- this allows it to cook faster and more evenly, resulting in a tender, juicy chicken!
From then on, this became my go-to method. So much so, that I completely redid a very old whole roast chicken recipe to upgrade it into the recipe in this post. The flavor is so fresh and delicious, this will immediately become your go-to recipe! Here's why you'll love it:
- Crispy skin, juicy meat
- Easy but impressive
- Cooks up quickly
- Pairs well with any side
- Comes perfectly every time
Ingredient Information And Substitutions
- Whole roasting chicken- A 6-8 pound bird gives you plenty of meat while still cooking evenly. A smaller chicken works too and will roast a bit faster- just pay attention to the temperature.
- Lemons- Brighten the flavor. Meyer lemons add extra sweetness, but regular lemons work fine. We use both the zesty and the juice for this.
- Olive oil- Helps with browning and crisping the skin. Melted butter is a good alternative.
- Seasonings- In addition to salt and pepper, sweet paprika, onion powder, garlic powder and Italian seasoning really round out the flavors. You can easily sub in your preferred seasonings for these.
- Fresh Parsley- Adds the perfect fresh flavor!
- Romano Cheese- This is the secret ingredient that really differentiates the flavor for this chicken recipe. It sounds strange, but trust me when I say, it bring it to the next level. You can also go with Parmesan cheese.
- Onions- Add flavor and moisture to the pan and gives the chicken something to sit upon. Shallots or leeks can be swapped in.
- Water- I add a small amount to the bottom of the pan to keep the onions from burning. That also make delicious pan juices that you can spoon over the chicken for serving.
How To Make This Spatchcock Chicken Recipe
Step 1- Preheat the oven and make the marinade.
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly spray a large paking pan or sheet pan with cooking spray. Scatter onion chunks and set aside.
In a food processor add olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, fresh parsley, seasonings and Romano cheese and pulse until well combined.
Step 2- Spatchcock the chicken.
Position the chicken on paper towels so the breast side is down (you'll know it's positioned correctly because the drumsticks are on the bottom and the top side of the chicken is flatter). Pat dry and remove the neck and gizzards from the carcass.
With kitchen shears or a really sharp knife, cut down the back on either side of the back bone, which is directly in the center. Remove the backbone fully, you can use this for stock.
Flip the chicken over so the open side is down and firmly press with both hands to flatten the chicken. You will hear a crack- this is good, as it will allow your chicken to lie completely flat.
Step 3- Add the marinade.
Rub a small amount of the marinade on the bottom of the chicken and flip it over. Take your hand and carefully work it underneath the skin on the breast meat and all the way down to the thigh and drum. The take some of the marinade and rub it under the skin on the breast, thigh and drum. Repeat with the other breast.
Rub the remaining marinade all over the outside of the chicken. Place the chicken flat on top of the onions in the prepared pan and tuck the wing tips under the breasts to the tips don't burn.
Place a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the breast (if you have a second thermometer, put that into the the thickest part of the thigh). Make sure the probe isn't touching a bone.
Step 4- Roast the chicken.
Pour ½ cup water into the bottom of the pan and roast until the breast meat reaches 161 degrees F (or the thigh will be around 180 degrees F once complete).
Remove from the oven and rest for 7-8 minutes. Carve and serve!
Frequently Asked Questions
Grab a nice, sharp knife. Start with where the legs meet the main body. and remove the legs and thighs so they're in once piece. I usually cut the leg off the thigh (use your knife to find the join- this allows you to get a clean cut). Cut off the wings, and finish by cutting off each whole breast piece and slicing the breast meat off the bone.
Yes! This recipe is made for a whole raw roasting chicken. Just check the cavity and pull out the gizzards or anything tucked inside.
The spatchcock chicken cooking time depends on size and oven, but usually 50-60 minutes at 425 degrees F. Check that it's done with a thermometer; the breast meat should read 161 degrees F and this temperature will rise to 165 degrees F while it rests.
Yes- it grills up beautifully- I like to have a high heat side and a lower heat side. Sear it on the high heat side, skin-side down until you have some nice grill marks and a bit of char. Then move it to the lower heat side and cooke covered until it reaches the safe temperature.
Tips For Making A Spatchcock Chicken Roast
- Make sure you hear a crack when you push down the chicken during spatchcocking- it's important that so that the chicken will lie flat and cook evenly.
- Or ask your butcher to spatchcock it for you- work smarter. not harder!
- A mini prep processor is a great tool for the marinade- Much smaller and easier clean up!
- Get under the skin- don't skip this. While it's not my favrrite part of deal with raw chicken, it's vital for nice, flavorful meat!
- Keep and eye on the chicken while cooking- if it's getting to brown, cover with a little foil. If the bottom of the pan is dry, add a little more water to avoid burnt onions.
- Roast by temp, not time- each bird is a little different and by cooking by temp, you're ensuring perfectly cooked meat every time.
- Don't skip the resting- This allow the chicken to finish cooking and the juices to redistribute through the bird so they don't come flowing out when you cut into it.
- Ingredients to prep ahead- Chop onions, clean parsley, spatchcock your chicken.
- Leftovers and storage- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Use leftovers in soups, salads, or sandwiches.
What To Serve With Marinated Spatchcock Chicken
This chicken makes a great centerpiece! Just add a couple of sides and something sweet for a complete spread. Here are some tasty ideas:
- Gouda Cheese Mashed Potatoes
- Garlic Parmesan Roasted Broccoli
- Strawberry Salad With Goat Cheese
- Lemon Parfait Cups Dessert
Other Chicken Recipes To Try
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5 star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below ⬇️ and/or a review in the comment section further down. Check out my Amazon Store for all my favorite tools, including those used in this recipe. And follow @thelifejolie on Instagram and TikTok!
Spatchcock Chicken Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons fresh parsley larger stems removed
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 small lemons zest and juice
- ¼ cup Romano cheese or Parmesan cheese
- 1 ½ teaspoons Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 large onions cut into chunks
- 8 pound whole chicken spatchcocked
- ½ cup water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Spray a roasting pan or sheet pan with cooking spray and scatter onion chunks into the pan. Set aside.
- Place the parsley, olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, sweet paprika, Italian seasoning and Romano cheese into the food processor. Pulse until well combined.
- Pat dry the chicken and rub a small amount of marinade onto the bottom of the chicken. Use your hand to gently separate the skin from the breasts, thighs and drums and rub marinade all over these pieces under the skin. Rub the remaining marinade all of the outside of the chicken.
- Place the chicken on top of the onions in the pan, tuck the wing tips under the breast, and place a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the breast, avoiding touching the bone (if you have a second place it in the thickest part of the thigh). Pour water into the bottom of the pan.
- Roast uncovered until the temperature reaches 161 degrees F in the breast (the thigh will be 180 degrees F), around an hour.
- Remove from the oven, and rest the chicken on your cutting board for 7-8 minutes. Carve and serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- Make sure you hear a crack when you push down the chicken during spatchcocking- it's important that so that the chicken will lie flat and cook evenly.
- Or ask your butcher to spatchcock it for you- work smarter. not harder!
- A mini prep processor is a great tool for the marinade- Much smaller and easier clean up!
- Get under the skin- don't skip this. While it's not my favrrite part of deal with raw chicken, it's vital for nice, flavorful meat!
- Keep and eye on the chicken while cooking- if it's getting to brown, cover with a little foil. If the bottom of the pan is dry, add a little more water to avoid burnt onions.
- Roast by temp, not time- each bird is a little different and by cooking by temp, you're ensuring perfectly cooked meat every time.
- Don't skip the resting- This allow the chicken to finish cooking and the juices to redistribute through the bird so they don't come flowing out when you cut into it.
- Ingredients to prep ahead- Chop onions, clean parsley, spatchcock your chicken.
- Leftovers and storage- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Use leftovers in soups, salads, or sandwiches.
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