Spatchcock Chicken Recipe

Every cook needs a good Spatchcock Chicken Recipe like this one!

Anyone can make whole spatchcock roast chicken without having to cut it apart! This easy, oven-baked recipe ensures tender, juicy chicken every time with just a little bit of prep! It doesn’t take long to cook this impressive main dish, and it’s especially easy when it’s served with roasted vegetables, or crispy smashed potatoes.

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What Does Spatchcock Mean?

Spatchcocking a chicken means removing the backbone. Then just spread it out and flatten it, similar to butterflying a shrimp. Because there is more heat exposure to the skin, it gets crispy and browned at the same rate.
Herb-roasted spatchcock chicken cooks evenly since the breast and thigh meat are on a level surface.

What is Spatchcock Chicken?

The spatchcock method keeps chicken (and turkey!) evenly moist and tender while it cooks in less time in the oven. It’s definitely one of the easiest chicken oven recipes out there! Spatchcocking decreases the cooking time for any cooking method, including oven-roasted, grilling, smoking, even the air fry method.

Ingredients and Variations

CHICKEN: This recipe calls for a 4 lb chicken, but a turkey can be used. Remember to adjust roast times in the oven.

SEASONING: Enjoy the mild flavor of the chicken with a chicken seasoning or rub, or go for something bolder, like a taco or bbq seasoning.

VEGETABLES: (Optional) For oven-roasted spatchcock chicken, choose vegetables that will cook at the same time as the meat; potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, onions, brussels sprouts, even cauliflower or broccoli. To make veggies especially flavorful, try basting them with the juices from the chicken as it roasts, for the tastiest and easiest sheet pan meal ever!

How to Spatchcock a Chicken

Remove neck and giblets (if they are included). Lay the bird down on a cutting board breast side down.
Using clean kitchen shears, cut along the left and then the right side of the backbone of the chicken to remove the entire backbone.
Turn the chicken over and gently press on the breast bone until it cracks. Fold the wing tips under the chicken.

Cooking Spatchcock Chicken

Place the chicken in a baking sheet or casserole dish. Generously oil and season the top.

PRO TIP: A squirt of lemon juice with the oil adds a citrus zing to the seasonings. Or a dash of liquid smoke to the oil makes the skin extra dark and delish!

How Long to Cook Spatchcock Chicken

Cook chicken, per the recipe below, until internal temperature reaches 165°F when a meat thermometer is inserted in the thickest part (preferably the breast).
Remove the chicken from the oven and tent loosely with foil. Be sure to allow it to rest for at least 15 minutes before carving so that the juices will redistribute throughout the meat.

How to Cook a Savory Gravy

Make a quick and easy gravy using the drippings!

Pour juices and drippings into a saucepan. Make sure to scrape off all the browned bits and add them too, for extra flavor.
Make a slurry of a 1:1 ratio of cold water to corn starch and shake in a small jar.
Add slurry to simmering chicken juices, whisking until the gravy is thickened.
Season and serve with chicken and veggies or potatoes.

Recipe Tips

Using clean, sharp kitchen shears ensures sharp, clean cuts to the meat instead of jaggedly tearing the meat.
Freeze the neck, giblets, and the backbone in a zippered bag for a future chicken soup base!
It’s easy to cut up leftover chicken to add to chicken salad or soup. Leftover cooked chicken will keep for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Serve with some Jalapeno Cornbread to soak up that tasty gravy!

Other Easy Chicken Recipes To Try!

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Spatchcock Chicken Recipe

Roast chicken comes out of the oven crispy on the outside, and tender and juicy on the inside when you follow this Spatchcock Chicken Recipe!

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Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 45 mins

Total Time 1 hr 15 mins

Servings servings

Author Holly

Ingredients

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425°F.
Remove neck and giblets from the cavity if they are included.
Place chicken on a cutting board, breast side down so the backbone is facing up. Using scissors, cut along each side of the backbone to remove it completely (reserve the bone for broth or gravy if desired).
Flip chicken over so the breast side is up. Using your palms, press on the breast bone to flatten it. You should hear it crack as it flattens. Fold the wing tips under the chicken.
Arrange on a large rimmed baking sheet and brush with olive oil. Cover generously with seasonings.
Roast chicken for 45-50 minutes or until it reaches a temperature of 165°F internally.
Remove from oven and loosely tent with foil. Rest at least 15 minutes before carving.