Spatchcock Chicken
This Spatchcock Chicken recipe is my favorite way to roast a whole chicken because it cooks quickly and evenly, with juicy meat, golden, crispy skin, and so much flavor from the garlic-and-herb butter. Adding potatoes, carrots, and Brussels sprouts makes this an easy one-pan dinner that’s just as good for a weeknight as it is for company.
Why Spatchcock a Chicken?
A whole roasted chicken can be tricky because the chicken breast can quickly dry out by the time the dark meat is cooked through. Spatchcocking or butterflying helps the chicken roast more evenly. Since the chicken breast sits lower in the pan, it stays juicy while the dark meat cooks through.
There’s no marinating or lengthy prep required, and your whole dinner cooks together on one pan. The potatoes have crispy, salty skins and creamy centers, and these were some of the best-tasting Brussels sprouts I’ve tried. The garlic herb butter (it’s the same flavored butter I use on my Roasted Turkey).
Ingredients for Spatchcock Chicken
- Whole chicken: Use a 4 to 4 1/2 pound whole chicken. Air-chilled chicken can give you a crispier skin if you can find it.
- Garlic-herb butter: Made with butter, parsley, garlic, lemon zest, and lemon juice for plenty of flavor and juicy meat.
- For a 1-pan chicken dinner: Add red potatoes, sweet carrots, and Brussels sprouts. Everything roasts together, and you don’t have to toss or flip anything while it is roasting in that amazing flavored butter.
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- 1. Preheat the Oven to 425˚F. Pat the chicken dry and place it breast-side down with the wings and neck facing you. Use kitchen shears to cut through the ribs along both sides of the spine, then remove spine. Open the rib cage and use a heavy chef’s knife to score the sternum. This makes it easier to flatten the chicken. Season inside the chicken with about 1/2 tsp salt and a pinch of black pepper.
- Flip the chicken over with the breast side up and place on a parchment-lined, rimmed baking sheet. Using the palm of your hand, push firmly over the breastbone so the chicken lies completely flat. This helps all parts of the chicken bake evenly. Gently separate the skin from the meat over the breast, thigh, and drumstick areas.
Isha’s Pro Tip:
Save the backbone and bones – freeze them to make the best Chicken Bone Broth.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the flavored butter ingredients and mash with a fork until most of the lemon juice is incorporated into the butter. You can also do this in a small food processor.
- Spread 2/3 of the garlic-herb butter under the chicken skin, then spread and dot the remaining butter all over the top of the chicken.
- Add Vegetables: Place prepared vegetables all around the chicken, then drizzle all over with olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt and some black pepper to taste.
- Roast uncovered at 425˚F for about 45 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer registers 165˚F when inserted into the thickest part of the chicken breast. Transfer to a cutting board and rest uncovered for 10 minutes before carving. Don’t over-bake, or the breast will be dry.
How to Keep Spatchcock Chicken Juicy
The chicken will continue to cook as it rests, and the internal temperature will rise several degrees. I like to pull it out of the oven at 160˚F and check the thickest part of the breast after resting to make sure it reaches 165˚F.
Make-Ahead
You can spatchcock, season, and apply the flavored butter to the chicken, then refrigerate it uncovered overnight. Leaving it uncovered helps form a crispier skin. The next day, remove the chicken from the refrigerator for about 30 minutes while you prep your vegetables and preheat your oven, then proceed with the recipe and bake as directed.
Ingredients
Method
- Spatchcock the Chicken: Preheat oven to 425˚F. Pat the chicken dry and place it breast-side down with the wings and neck facing you. Use kitchen shears to cut through the ribs right next to the spine along both sides and remove the spine. Open the chicken and use a heavy knife to score down the sternum. This will help release the breastbone and flatten the chicken. Season inside the chicken with 1/2 tsp salt and a pinch of black pepper.
- Flatten Chicken: Flip the chicken breast-side-up and set on a parchment-lined, rimmed 18×13 baking sheet. Using the palm of your hand, push firmly over the breastbone, forcing the chicken to lie completely flat. Gently separate the skin from the meat over the breast, thigh, and drumstick areas.
- Make Flavored Butter: In a small mixing bowl, combine the flavored butter ingredients and mash with a fork until the lemon juice is mostly incorporated.
- Spread the Herb Butter: Spread 2/3 of the flavored butter mixture under the chicken skin, then dot and spread the remaining butter all over the chicken.
- Arrange the prepared vegetables around the chicken and drizzle the chicken and vegetables with olive oil, then season generously with salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
- Bake uncovered at 425˚F for about 45 min or until an instant-read thermometer reads 165˚F when inserted into the thickest part of the chicken breast*. Remove from the oven and rest uncovered for 10 minutes on a cutting board before serving.
