Name: Spatchcock Chicken
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 1/2 cup butter (unsalted, softened (1 stick)); 1/4 cup poultry herb blend (chopped *); 3 cloves garlic (minced); 1 tbsp lemon zest ((from 1 lemon)); 1 tbsp smoked paprika; 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste); 1/2 tsp pepper (or to taste); 4 lb whole chicken; pan drippings; 1 cup chicken broth (low sodium or no sodium added, or water); 1 tbsp cornstarch

This beautiful Spatchcock Chicken is crispy, juicy, and bursting with flavor! Super easy to prepare and done in less time than roasting it whole!

Did you know that if you spatchcock a chicken you’re cutting down the cooking time by half? Yes, half! To me that’s a big plus, especially in the summer because the last thing I want is to have the oven on all day, but I still want my home cooked meals, which is why this spatchcock chicken is perfect.

What Is Spatchcock Chicken

To spatchcock a chicken basically means to butterfly the chicken and remove the backbone. While this looks complicated, it’s super easy to do. Not only that, but in about an hour you’ll have a very impressive dinner, fool proof, insanely delicious for your entire family or friends.

You can use this method for Cornish hens as well or quails, and cook them in no time at all. While removing the backbone may look scary or hard, it’s really easy to do and all you need is a good pair of kitchen shears.

Because this spatchcock chicken requires less time in the oven, you end up with a super juicy bird. Even the breast won’t be dry, and nobody likes a dry breast.

Ingredients You’ll Need For Spatchcock Chicken

You’ll only need a handful of ingredients to make this easy one pot chicken dinner. Here they are:

A Whole Chicken
Butter – for the compound butter. Compound butter is a mixture of butter with spices and herbs.
Poultry Herb Blend – You can find poultry herb blends in your local grocery store located with all the other herbs. Usually they contain rosemary, sage and thyme, so if you cannot the blend you could always buy them separately.
Garlic
Lemon
Smoked Paprika
Salt & Pepper

I made a compound butter with poultry herbs, garlic and smoked paprika, which I spread half of it under the skin and the remaining over the skin for extra flavor and yumminess. Trust me, this butter is one of the secrets to this chicken being super juicy and succulent.

How To Spatchcock a Chicken:

Make sure you first place the chicken breast-side down and the legs towards you.
Use a good pair of kitchen shears to cut up along each side of the backbone, cutting through the rib bones as you go.
Open the chicken out and turn it over then flatten the breastbone with the heel of your hand, by pressing down (see video) so that the meat is all one thickness.
Season well on both sides with your favorite poultry seasoning and roast in the oven as stated in the recipe or barbecue on a grill for 15-20 minutes per side, depending on the size of the bird.

How To Serve

Here are some delicious side dishes I love serving my chicken with:

How To Store Leftovers

If you’re lucky enough to have leftovers from this chicken, store them in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Freezing

Make sure to let the chicken cool completely before you freeze it. Place individual pieces of chicken into freezer bags. Remove as much air as possible from the freezer bag as you slide the zipper closed. Freeze for up to 3 months.