I love this Spatchcock Chicken recipe because it yields juicy and flavorful chicken you can cook quickly in the oven, smoker or on the grill. Serve it with our simple chimichurri sauce for a true culinary masterpiece!
Looking for more main dishes? Try my Prime Rib, Rack of Lamb, Baked Ham, or Baked Salmon!
Why I love this recipe:
- Faster – A spatchcock chicken usually takes around 45 minutes to cook, instead of 2 hours like a whole roast chicken! It also helps the chicken cook more evenly, since it’s laying flat.
- Versatile – You can cook a spatchcock chicken in the oven, smoker, or on your grill! See the recipe card notes for instructions.
- Flavor – This recipe was inspired by my husband’s love for Argentinian chimichurri served with his meat. The incredible spice rub combined with the chimichurri sauce is a flavor explosion!
How to Spatchcock Chicken:
Prep Chicken: Remove chicken from packaging. Discard neck and giblets from the inside cavity or freeze to make chicken gravy a different day. Pat the chicken dry all over with paper towels.
Remove Spine Bone then turn the chicken over and press down on the breasts to flatten. If time permits, season the outside of the chicken with some salt and place in the fridge for a few hours. Then pat dry again with paper towels before adding the rub. (You could save the backbone to make homemade Chicken Stock).
Dry Rub Seasoning: Combine dry seasoning ingredients in a bowl. Rub olive oil all over the outside of the chicken, then slide your hand under the skin to loosen the skin away from the breasts and spread olive oil under the skin. Sprinkle dry seasoning all over and rub into the skin, and on the breast meat. Let chicken rest at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking. (Good time to preheat oven, grill or smoker)
Oven Roasted Spatchcock Chicken: Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Place chicken in a large cast-iron pan, or baking sheet. Roast in oven until it registers 165 degrees F tested in a multiple places with a thermometer (about 50-60 minutes). Remove from oven and tent with foil to rest for 10 minutes before serving. (I like to take it out when it reaches 160 degrees, and let it come to 165 while it rests).
Grilled Spatchcock Chicken: Cook at 450ºF skin-side down for 3-4 minutes. Flip, close lid and continue to cook for around 45 minutes, until 165 degrees. Remove to a plate and tent with foil to rest for 15 minutes before serving.
Smoked Spatchcock chicken: Smoke at 225 for about 45 minutes, then increase temp to 375 and cook until it reaches 160 degrees F. Remove and tent with foil to rest for 15 minutes before serving.
Chimichurri Sauce: Make chimichurri sauce by combining all ingredients in a bowl. Drizzle sauce over chicken when serving.
Recipe Variations:
- Add Veggies: Add a bed of chopped veggies to the bottom of the cast iron pan. Toss the veggies in olive oil, salt and pepper, spread into an even layer, then place chicken on top. We recommend, carrots, Brussels sprouts and baby potatoes. Make sure they are cut in uniform pieces.
- Compound Butter instead of dry rub: To season the chicken with herb butter instead of a dry rub, use the herb butter from my Roast Chicken recipe.
- Spatchcock Turkey: Use the same method to remove the backbone from your whole turkey. It would work great for cooking my Thanksgiving Turkey.
Side Dish Ideas:
- Rice Pilaf
- Buttermilk Cornbread
- Baked Beans
- Corn Salad
- French Fries
- Roasted Vegetables
- Elotes Recipe
- Green Salad
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Recipe
Spatchcock Chicken with Chimichurri Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken
Seasoning Rub:
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 teaspoons chipotle chili powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Chimichurri Sauce:
- 1 bunch fresh chopped parsley , very finely chopped (about 1 cup)
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons white wine vinegar , or red wine vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 4 cloves garlic , minced
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 3 sprigs fresh oregano , leaves only (or ½ teaspoon dried oregano)
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Prep Chicken: Remove chicken from packaging. Remove neck and giblets from the inside cavity, if applicable. Pat the chicken dry all over with paper towels. Use sharp kitchen shear to cut the spine bone from the chicken*. Flip the chicken breast-side up and gently press down to flatten the chicken. Reference photos above, or our video, for additional help for how to spatchcock a chicken.
- If time permits, season the outside of the chicken with some salt and place in the fridge for a few hours. This will yield extra crisp and flavorful skin.
- Make Rub: Combine dry seasoning ingredients in a bowl.
- Season: Pat chicken dry again with paper towels before adding the rub. Rub olive oil all over the outside of the chicken, and loosen the skin away from the breasts and spread olive oil under the skin. Sprinkle dry seasoning all over and rub into the skin. Sprinkle any extra under the skin of the breast meat.
- Rest: Let chicken rest at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking. (Good time to preheat oven, grill or smoker).
- Cook: You can cook spatchcock chicken the same way you’d roast or grill a whole chicken, it will just cook faster!Oven Roasted Spatchcock Chicken: Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Place chicken in a large cast-iron pan, or baking sheet. Roast in oven until it registers 165 degrees F tested in a multiple places with a thermometer (about 50-60 minutes). Remove from oven and tent with foil to rest for 10 minutes before serving. (I like to take it out when it reaches 160 degrees, and let it come to 165 while it rests).Grilled Spatchcock Chicken: Cook at 450ºF skin-side down for 3-4 minutes. Flip, close lid and continue to cook for around 45 minutes, until 165 degrees. Remove to a plate and tent with foil to rest for 15 minutes before serving.Smoked Spatchcock chicken: Smoke at 225 for about 45 minutes, then increase temp to 375 and cook until it reaches 160 degrees F. Remove and tent with foil to rest for 15 minutes before serving.
- Make Chimichurri sauce by combining all ingredients in a bowl.
- Serve chimichurri sauce over chicken.
Notes
Nutrition
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