Roast Spatchcock Chicken Recipe
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- 28 comments
This easy-to-make delicious roast spatchcock chicken recipe is perfectly golden brown and served with a tasty herb garlic oil. You will love just how simple this is to prepare.
Making the same chicken recipes over and over can be really boring for you and your family. Get out of your routine by making my delicious Chicken Francese or Teriyaki Chicken.
What is Spatchcock Chicken?
Spatchcock chicken is an abbreviated term in Ireland for “dispatch the cock.” This meant that you needed to make a quick chicken dinner. While the bird does seem to cook quicker after it’s been spatchcocked, like being butterflied, it technically means the backbone of the chicken is removed and it is then flattened. That is the only difference between a spatchcock chicken, and a normal chicken is simply that the backbone has been cut out. That’s it.
Incorporating this procedure is worth it if you are needing to save on cooking time. When roasting or smoking the chicken, there is no need to flip it during the cooking process. However, if you are pan-frying or grilling it, you will want to flip it so that it cooks evenly. Any of those cooking methods can and will be a delicious-tasting chicken, much like my brick chicken recipe. In addition, you can dry brine or wet brine the chicken for enhanced flavors.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Chicken – You will need one whole roasting chicken.
- Herbs – I use a combination of rosemary, thyme, parsley, chives, and oregano. However, you can use any combination of these if you do not want to use all of them.
- Garlic – finely minced cloves are added to enhance the flavor of the sauce.
- Lemon – This is used in the sauce.
- Oil – You will need some good olive oil. I always purchase whatever is expeller pressed, organic, and on sale.
How to Make a Roast Spatchcock Chicken
Remove the backbone from the chicken using sharp kitchen shears or a very sharp chef’s knife. Reserve the backbone in a storage container in the freezer for chicken stock at a later date.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the herbs, garlic, lemon, and olive oil until combined to make a chimichurri-style sauce and set aside.
Place the flattened chicken on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper and cover it on all sides with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Drizzle on half of the lemon herb sauce.
Place it in the oven and bake it skin side up for 50 minutes.
After 25 minutes, turn the chicken pan around so that it cooks evenly on all sides.
After the 50 minutes is up, turn the heat up to 425° and cook for 15 more minutes or until the skin is golden brown and cooked throughout.
Serve the chicken with the remaining lemon herb sauce.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: This recipe is meant to be eaten as soon as it is finished cooking. However, you can keep it warm in the oven at very low temperatures (165° to 200°) for up to 30 minutes before serving it.
How to Store: Cover it and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. This will freeze covered for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator for one day before reheating.
How to Reheat: Place the desired amount of chicken on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper. Bake it at 350° for 10 to 15 minutes or until warm.
Chef Notes + Tips
- With about 45 minutes left in the total cooking process, you can add vegetables around the chicken on the sheet tray you’d like to serve the chicken with.
More Chicken Recipes
Video
Roast Spatchcock Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 whole roasting chicken
- 2 tablespoons finely minced fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons finely minced fresh thyme
- 2 tablespoons finely minced fresh rosemary
- 2 tablespoons finely minced fresh chives
- 2 tablespoons finely minced fresh oregano
- 4 finely minced garlic cloves
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- ½ cup olive oil + 2 tablespoons
- sea salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°.
- Remove the backbone from the chicken using sharp kitchen shears or a sharp chef’s knife. Reserve the backbone in a storage container in the freezer for chicken stock later. Set aside.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the herbs, garlic, lemon, olive oil, salt, and pepper until combined to make a chimichurri-style sauce and set aside.
- Place the flattened chicken on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper and cover it on all sides with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Drizzle on half of the lemon herb sauce.
- Place it in the oven and bake it skin side up for 50 minutes.
- After 25 minutes, turn the chicken pan around so that it cooks evenly on all sides.
- After the 50 minutes is up, turn the heat up to 425° and cook for 15 more minutes or until the skin is golden brown and cooked throughout.
- Serve the chicken with the remaining lemon herb sauce.
I noticed you have a Wolf oven. Did you cook the chicken on Convection, convection roast or bake?
Inquiring minds… yada, yada, yada.
I’l always specify if I am using convection. If not, always regular bake.
This recipe was fantastic and probably the most moist chicken I ever had. I followed as written but roasted it on my smoker to add some smoke flavor. Came out great and I’ll use this recipe for my thanksgiving turkey. Thanks for sharing
Excellent!
What a great easy recipe that is so fast and delicious for a mid week or special occasion meal!
Not yet, since it’s only me would this work with chicken thighs?
Thank you ChefBilly sooo going to have ago at doing your fabulous recipe 😁😋🤩👋
I love this recipe!
I was thinking….wouldn’t this amazing combination of herbs be great when preparing a turkey breast?
We always cook on a bed of dressing.
Love the receipes and especially cooking tips. Going to make this
Looks good, I am planning on making oven baked chicken legs for Christmas dinner and will definitely use the lemon herb sauce.
I’d love the recipe for the Winter Panzanella salad. I’ve made by watching this video but would love the measurements, especially for the dressing part. It’s fantastic with the chicken!