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In This Post
- Why You’ll Love My Spatchco*ck Chicken Recipe
- How To Spatchco*ck Chicken
- Roasting Instructions
- My Recipe Tips
- Storage Instructions
- Serving Suggestions
- More Easy Roasted Chicken Recipes
- Recipe Reviews
If you’ve never made spatchco*ck chicken before, you might never want to cook a whole chicken another way again once you try it! Not only does it get super crispy and stay juicy, it’s also done so much faster than a whole bird. It was love at first roast when I made it years ago — and it’s been my favorite way to cook a whole chicken ever since. It’s the shortcut I turn to again and again for weeknights, holidays, and every occasion in between. Let me show you!
Why You’ll Love My Spatchco*ck Chicken Recipe
- Crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside – The high oven temperature allows the inside to stay so juicy. But that crispy skin… oh, how I love that ultra crispy skin. And everyone comments on it!
- Cooks evenly – I always enjoy a good oven roasted chicken, but sometimes it can be a little tricky to avoid drying out some parts while others cook through. Spatchocking totally eliminates this issue, as flattening the chicken encourages all the areas to cook at the same rate.
- Irresistibly flavorful – The fresh herbs, butter, and garlic really take this chicken over the top. It’s the same method I use for juicy spatchco*ck turkey!
- Fast, fast, fast – Compared to a whole bird roasted the “regular” way, my spatchco*ck chicken recipe cooks in about half the time! The method I use here allows me to turn up the heat, so it cooks faster.
- Looks impressive, but surprisingly easy – It’s the best of both worlds, and one of my favorite options when I’m hosting a dinner. It feeds a good number of people, always gets people talking, gives my guests a choice between white meat and dark meat, and just takes away the stress all around.
Ingredients & Substitutions
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for my spatchco*ck chicken recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
Chicken:
You’ll need a whole chicken. Mine was 5 pounds, but this recipe will work fine with any size. The cook time will vary depending on the weight, though.
Compound Butter:
Butter normally can’t handle the high heat of roasting, but when you place it underneath the skin of spatchco*cked chicken, it works perfectly to keep the meat juicy and flavorful. You’ll need:
- Butter – Make sure it’s unsalted (because we’re salting the chicken separately), and softened at room temperature (so that you can mash it easily).
- Herbs – I used fresh parsley and my 5-minute Italian seasoning blend, but store-bought works, too. Feel free to use any fresh or dried herbs you like here. Rosemary and thyme work well.
- Garlic – Get fresh garlic cloves, so that you can crush them. Alternatively, you can also use minced garlic (either fresh or from a jar), but I find the flavor disperses better with crushed.
Compound butter variations:
Try different kinds of compound butter here — any of them would be delicious for making spatchco*ck chicken! A teaspoon of lemon zest added to the compound butter also works well.
Seasoning Over The Skin:
While I use butter underneath the skin, a heat-safe oil works best on top, since butter has a lower smoke point and is prone to burning. It’s the best of both worlds.
- Oil – I use olive oil over the skin, because it can handle the direct heat in the oven. Avocado oil is also fine to use.
- Paprika – I used regular paprika, but smoked paprika would be delicious.
- Sea Salt & Black Pepper – Feel free to use kosher salt instead of sea salt if that’s what you have. Sea salt is just what I usually keep at my house.
Seasoning variations:
You can add other spices over the skin if you like, such as garlic powder, onion powder, or even cayenne pepper for a kick of heat.
How To Spatchco*ck Chicken
Spatchco*ck chicken literally just means butterflied chicken. You cut the chicken in two along the spine, leaving the breasts connected, then flip it over and lay it flat before roasting to perfection. Here’s how I do it:
- Cut away the backbone. Place the chicken breast-side down on a cutting board (mine was white for these photos, so you can’t see it!). Use sharp kitchen shears or a sharp knife to cut away the spine. To do so, just cut along each side of the spine. This is the hardest part, but you got this!
- Flatten. Use your hands to open chicken like a book, then flip it over, open side down. Use the palm of your hand to push down on the breastbone, which will allow the chicken to lay flat.
Roasting Instructions
This section shows step-by-step photos together with the instructions, to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
- Make the compound butter. In a small bowl, mash together the softened butter, parsley, Italian seasoning, and minced garlic.
- Season underneath the skin. Separate the chicken skin from meat by running your hand underneath the skin. Spread dollops of the compound butter mixture under the skin and press down on top of skin to spread the butter throughout the chicken meat.
- Season on the outside. Drizzle the top of the chicken with olive oil, then season all over with paprika, salt, and pepper. Rub to distribute evenly if needed.
- Roast. Transfer the chicken to a wire rack fitted over a rimmed baking sheet, breast side facing up. Roast spatchco*ck chicken until it reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees F in the breast, or 165 degrees F in the thigh. (The temperature will continue to rise about 5 degrees after you take it out of the oven.)
- Rest. Let the chicken rest before carving — this will help it stay juicy. I like to serve with lemon wedges for a fresh squeeze of lemon juice.
My Recipe Tips
- Bring to room temp if you have time. This is optional, but I like to let the chicken sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before roasting, so that it cooks more evenly. It’s okay to skip this step, though, especially since actually spatchco*cking and seasoning the chicken takes some time, anyway.
- Tuck the wing tips. While you’re prepping the bird, tuck the wing tips underneath the breast if you leave them on, or cut them off, to prevent burning.
- Roast on a rack. Like many of my roasting recipes where I want a crispy result (see: bacon in the oven or asparagus with bacon!), I highly recommend roasting spatchco*ck chicken on a baking sheet fitted with an oven-safe rack — I have this one and it’s perfect. Doing this increases the air flow around the bird, making it cook more evenly and helping the skin crisp up on all sides.
- Use a meat thermometer. The key to juicy chicken is to take it out at the right time. I highly recommend a probe thermometer like this, inserted into the thickest part of the breast or thigh. I love this one because it goes off when the right internal temperature is reached, so you don’t have to keep opening the oven to check on the chicken. Alternatively, I also have and like this instant read thermometer that reads really fast.
- Tent with foil if needed. If the skin is dark and crispy but the internal temperature is not high enough yet, tent the top with foil and continue roasting until cooked through.
- Let it rest. Waiting before carving lets the juices settle and ensures your chicken stays nice and moist inside. I always, always do this with meat and poultry. 10-15 minutes is just the right amount of time for this spatchco*ck chicken recipe.
- Wondering what to do with the spine? You can discard it, or use it to make gravy.
Storage Instructions
- Store: Like most chicken recipes, you can keep leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days. They are also perfect for throwing into soups or casseroles, which I often do to avoid eating the same thing on repeat.
- Meal prep: Spatchco*ck chicken is best served right after cooking, but you can prep ahead by butterflying the chicken and making compound butter. Sometimes I even season it fully one day in advance.
- Freeze: Carve, place the pieces in zip lock bags, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
- Reheat: Warm up the chicken in a 350 degree F oven for 10-15 minutes if it’s carved, or 20-25 minutes whole. If you want it extra juicy and don’t mind an extra step, use the same method I use for reheating reverse sear steaks: Preheat the oven to 250 or 300 degrees F, place the chicken in a baking dish with a little broth at the bottom, seal with foil, and place in the oven until warm. The catch is that this softens the skin, so I usually switch to broil and remove the foil for the last few minutes to get it crispy.
Serving Suggestions
My spatchco*ck chicken recipe goes with almost any side dish! Here are some of the ways I like serving it:
- Roasted Vegetables – When I make this for just a casual dinner, I love turning it into a sheet pan meal. Chop your favorite vegetables while the chicken is in the oven and toss them in olive oil, salt and pepper. When there is about 25 minutes left for the chicken (slightly before halfway through), very quickly take it out, arrange the vegetables around the chicken, and place back in the oven to finish roasting. I did this with roasted broccoli and roasted cauliflower in the pictures above, but it also works with roasted brussels sprouts or really almost any roasted vegetables.
- Holiday Veggies – When I need something for a special occasion, I make creamed spinach, honey roasted carrots, fried brussels sprouts, or green beans almondine. They’re surprisingly easy to make, but feel a little more festive than a sheet pan meal.
- Potatoes – You can’t go wrong with roasted potatoes, or even sweet potatoes! Wash, dice, and season them right after you place the spatchco*ck chicken in the oven, then add them to the same sheet pan in the last 35-40 minutes. Alternatively, make my air fryer baked potatoes or mashed sweet potatoes while the chicken is cooking. If you need a lighter option, mashed cauliflower is my go-to.
- Salads – For a fresh and bright side dish, make my Greek salad, easy wedge salad, or simple arugula salad while the chicken roasts.
More Easy Roasted Chicken Recipes
Roasted chicken is such a staple at my house, I’ve made it every which way. If you have a specific cut rather than a whole bird, here are my favorite ways to make different parts of a chicken:
Sheet Pan Chicken And Veggies
Baked Chicken Legs
Chicken Leg Quarters
Healthy Baked Chicken Breast
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Recipe Card
Spatchco*ck Chicken (Crispy & Juicy!)
This spatchco*ck chicken recipe is the best way to cook a whole chicken, and so easy! It makes juicy, flavorful meat with perfect crispy skin.
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 40 minutes
Total: 1 hour
Author: Maya Krampf from WholesomeYum.com
Servings: 6 (adjust to scale recipe)
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Ingredients
Tap underlined ingredients to see where to get them.
Chicken:
Compound Butter:
Topping:
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
Prep:
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (232 degrees C). Place an oven safe rack over a baking sheet.
If possible, let the chicken rest at room temperature for 30 minutes before roasting. (This will ensure more even cooking.)
Spatchco*ck:
Place the chicken onto a cutting board, breast side down. Use kitchen shears to cut away the spine. (You can discard it or use it to make gravy.)
Use your hands to open up the chicken like a book, then flip it over, open side down. Use the heel of your hand to push down on the chicken breast, which will crush the breast bone and allow the chicken to lay flat.
Transfer the butterflied chicken to the rack over the baking sheet, breast side up.
Make Compound Butter:
To make compound butter, mash together butter, parsley, Italian seasoning, and crushed garlic.
Season:
Run your hands under the chicken skin on the breast and legs to separate it from the chicken underneath. Place dollops of compound butter all over underneath the skin and then press down over the skin to spread around underneath.
Drizzle olive oil over the chicken, over the skin. Sprinkle with sea salt, paprika, and black pepper.
Roast:
Roast spatchco*ck chicken in the oven for 40-50 minutes, until a thermometer in the thickest part of the breast reaches 160 degrees F (71 degrees C). (Temperature will rise about 5 degrees while resting.)
Remove chicken from the oven and let it rest for 10-15 minutes before cutting into it.
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Related Easy Recipes
Air Fryer Chicken Legs
Air Fryer Whole Chicken Recipe
Oven Baked Chicken Thighs
Oven Baked Chicken Wings
Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1/6 entire chicken
Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving. Serving size in recipe notes above.
Calories343
Fat27.2g
Protein23g
Total Carbs1.1g
Net Carbs0.7g
Fiber0.4g
Sugar0.1g
Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.
Course:Main Course
Cuisine:American
Keywords:spatchco*ck chicken
Calories: 343 kcal
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How To Spatchco*ck Chicken
