Spatchcock chicken | I love spatchcock! Go ahead get your jokes out, I know you got a few floating around that brain of yours. How? Because I had quite a few jokes the first time I heard spatchcock. Now that you have all the jokes out of your system let me tell you more about spatchcock chicken. It’s the best way to cook chicken! The end!
There is no doubt in my mind that spatchcocked chicken makes for the juiciest chicken with the crispiest skin. I have roasted the whole chicken on a sheet pan with brussels sprouts and potatoes making a complete chicken dinner with all the flavor in half the time.
Where does the term Spatchcock chicken come from?
Spatchcock essentially means to split open and flatten. This is done by removing the backbone and spreading it flat. It’s a technique that can be used on any protein but most commonly used on poultry. Alan Davidson explains in The Oxford Companion to Food: “The theory is that the word is an abbreviation of ‘dispatch the cock,’ a phrase used to indicate a summary way of grilling a bird after splitting it open down the back and spreading the two halves out flat.”
spatchcock chicken recipe
1/2 cup olive oil
1 large lemon, zested and juiced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
2 teaspoons minced fresh sage
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 3 lb whole chicken
1.5 lbs Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed and halved
1.5 lbs petite red potatoes, halved
Here’s the deal. If you want to make sure proteins are juicy and full of flavor leave it on the bone! Protein on the bone will always have more flavor than boneless, which is why I love whole roasted chicken. Especially, spatchcock chicken because it cooks evenly, more quickly, and results in an evenly crisped skin. Spatchcock chicken is the best chicken!
During the summer months, I grilled spatchcock chicken almost weekly. But during the cooler months, I cranked up the oven and make this whole chicken dinner on a sheet pan. I think I have discovered my go-to fall dinner.
How do you Spatchcock a chicken?
- Place a whole chicken breast-side down, with the legs towards you.
- Using kitchen shears, cut up along each side of the backbone from end-to-end to remove it, cutting through the rib bones as you go.
- Spread the chicken open and turn over. Flatten the breastbone with the heel of your hand so that the meat is all one thickness.
- Griddle, grill or barbecue for 15-20 mins per side or roast for 40 minutes (depending on the size of bird).
I was inspired by my friend Mary’s sheet pan dinner from The Weeknight Dinner Cookbook. Sheet pan dinners are genius and the perfect weeknight dinner. For the recipe, I seasoned a whole chicken, potatoes, and brussels sprouts in a garlic lemon-herb marinade. I roasted it at high heat so everything on the sheet pan gets crispy edges, even the brussels sprouts.
This chicken dinner needs to be part of your weeknight dinner rotation! If you are looking for more chicken dinner inspiration visit my chicken recipes collection.
more chicken dinner love
- chicken and acorn squash coconut curry
- sheet pan chicken thighs with green beans and potatoes
- oven roasted chicken with lemon rosemary garlic butter
- skillet chicken and biscuit pot pie
Roasted Lemon Garlic Spatchcocked Chicken Dinner
Spatchcocked chicken makes for the juiciest chicken with the crispiest skin. This recipe is a complete chicken dinner with all the flavor in half the time.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 large lemon, zested and juiced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh sage
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 3 lb whole chicken
- 1.5 lbs Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed and halved
- 1.5 lbs petite red potatoes, halved
Instructions
- Heat oven to 450 degrees.
- In a bowl combine olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, rosemary, thyme, sage, and salt. Whisk until well combined. Set aside.
- Turn the chicken breast side down with the drumsticks closest to you. Using the shears or a serrated knife, cut on either side of the backbone to remove it. Discard the backbone or freeze to make stock later. Turn the chicken over and press down hard on the breast to flatten it.
- Using a basting brush, brush the chicken front and back. Place chicken breast side up flat on a large rimmed baking sheet. Toss the potatoes and Brussels sprouts in the remaining marinade. Spread on sheet pan around the chicken.
- Roast in the oven until an instant-read thermometer reads 165°F at the thickest part of the thigh and the breast, about 35 - 40 minutes. Serve.
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Nutrition Information:
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 502Carbohydrates: 26gProtein: 46g
I love baking brussel sprouts with some cut up bacon, a mixture of honey and dijon mustard, avocado oil and some s&p. It is so easy and the honey/mustard mixture helps with that bitter taste brussel sprouts can have.
Perfect savory flavors! I’ve been wanting to try this method for chicken too.
Yes and yes again 1000 times 🙂
This flavor-packed dinner is calling my name! Saving to try!
Jokes brushed aside and nothing but love for this gorgeous chicken recipe!
Winner winner chicken dinner!
What a gorgeous meal!
We love spatchcocked chicken on the grill or in the oven. Inside, I normally sear it on the range in a cast iron skillet and then flip it and stick the skillet in a 400f oven to finish. I love your technique with the pan, have to try this.