Spatchcock Chicken

This spatchcock chicken is flattened for uniform cooking, then flavored with garlic and herb butter and roasted to golden brown perfection. A spatchcocked chicken cooks faster than a traditional roast chicken, and comes out tender and juicy every time!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 45

Brining Time 8

Total Time 9 5

Servings

Calories 322kcal

Author Sara Welch

Ingredients

5 pound chicken giblets removed
1 recipe chicken brine optional but highly recommended
6 tablespoons butter softened
1/2 teaspoon salt use 1 teaspoon if you're not brining your chicken
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves minced
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves minced
2 teaspoons fresh parsley leaves minced

Instructions

Prepare the chicken brine according to recipe directions. Brine for 8 hours.
Remove the chicken from the brine. Rinse the chicken with cold water and pat it dry.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Spatchcock the chicken by removing the backbone with poultry shears or kitchen shears. With the backbone removed, cut the cartilage over the breastbone on the inside of the bird where the two breasts join together near the neck. Cut the cartilage to release the breastbone and allow the chicken to lay flat when you turn it over. Finally, tuck the wings under the rib cage to protect them as they cook.
Make a butter rub by mixing softened butter with salt, pepper, garlic, thyme, rosemary and parsley.
Generously coat the outside of the chicken with the butter mixture. Loosen the skin of the chicken and rub some of the butter mixture under the skin.
Insert a probe thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken (breast or thigh). Bake for 40 minutes or until a thermometer registers 165 degrees F in both the thigh and the breast.
Remove the chicken from the oven. Let it rest for 5-10 minutes, then carve and serve.

Video

Notes

If you get stuck cutting the backbone out, try cutting a little closer or farther from the backbone until you make progress.
You may need to snip some bones using just the tip of the scissors.
I like to start cutting from the neck end of the bird. However, if you get stuck, try snipping from the tail end of the chicken and have the cuts meet in the middle.

Nutrition