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Spatchcock chicken is seasoned with butter, lemon, garlic, and herbs.
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Spatchcock Chicken Recipe

If you have never cooked a Spatchcock Chicken, then you don't know what you're missing! It is surprisingly easy to remove the spin to flatten the bird, season with lemon, garlic, and herbs, and roast for a perfectly delicious dinner.

Course Dinner
Cuisine American
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 10 servings
Calories 423 kcal
London Brazil

Ingredients

  • 3 ½ lbs. whole chicken whole
  • 1 ½ tsp. salt divided
  • ½ tsp. black pepper

Garlic Herb Butter:

  • 5 Tbsp. butter softened
  • 2 Tbsp. oil olive or avocado
  • 1 Tbsp. lemon juice freshly squeezed
  • 1 tsp. lemon zest
  • ¼ tsp. paprika
  • 2 cloves garlic finely minced
  • 1 tsp. thyme and rosemary fresh, finely chopped

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  2. Place the chicken on a cutting board with the breasts facing downwards and the spine upwards.

  3. Using kitchen shears, cut along both sides of the spine across the length of the bird. Try to stay as close as possible to the spine to avoid cutting too much into the ribs and meat.

  4. Score the breast bone with a knife and then flip the chicken over. Press down with the heels of your hands to crack the ribs and flatten the bird. Place the chicken on a wire rack that is on top of an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet.
  5. In a medium-sized bowl whisk together the butter, oil, lemon juice and zest, paprika, garlic, herbs, and ¾ teaspoon of salt. Place half of it under the skin next to the breasts. Melt the remaining half and use a pastry brush to spread it over the skin.
  6. Sprinkle the remaining ¾ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper over the entire chicken.
  7. Bake in the preheated oven for 40-50 minutes, depending on size.

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

Meal Prep and Storage

  • To Prep-Ahead: You can prepare the chicken up to one day early. Keep it wrapped in the fridge until you're ready to bake.
  • To Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days.
  • To Freeze: Only freeze cooked chicken if it didn't sit at room temperature long. Remove the meat from the bones before placing it in a freezer-safe bag. It should keep for up to 4 months.
  • To Reheat: You can warm the chicken back up in the microwave.

Nutrition Facts
Spatchcock Chicken Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 423 Calories from Fat 297
% Daily Value*
Fat 33g51%
Saturated Fat 11g69%
Trans Fat 0.4g
Polyunsaturated Fat 6g
Monounsaturated Fat 13g
Cholesterol 135mg45%
Sodium 446mg19%
Potassium 316mg9%
Carbohydrates 1g0%
Fiber 0.2g1%
Sugar 0.1g0%
Protein 30g60%
Vitamin A 493IU10%
Vitamin C 5mg6%
Calcium 25mg3%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.