Spatchcock Chicken Recipe

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Spatchcock Chicken Recipe! moist, juicy, flavorful butterfly chicken that is just perfect! In this post, I will show you how to spatchcock chicken, how to season, and how to cook spatchcock chicken in easy, simple steps. 

This roasted spatchcock chicken recipe is flavorful, moist, and juicy. The chicken was brined using my simple chicken brine recipe (but you don’t have to brine your chicken for this recipe though), then spatchcocked, seasoned, and roasted to perfection in the oven!

Spatchcock chicken or butterfly chicken takes less time to cook than whole chicken so it’s great for when you want to save time on cooking. It also ensures the breast parts are not dry, flavor gets under the skin, and the chicken is juicy.

If you are one that worries your Christmas or Thanksgiving poultry isn’t going to get cooked inside or you want a roasted bird in less of the time it normally takes, this recipe is perfect for you. It’s quite easy to make chicken butterfly and in this post, I’ll show you the simple steps to achieving that.

What is Spatchcock Chicken

Spatchcock chicken is also known as butterfly chicken. It is where a whole chicken is made into a butterfly shape by removing the backbone and flattening it. This makes the chicken opened out and lays flat and thus results in quicker cooking, moist inside and crispy skin of the chicken.

To spatchcock chicken, you only need few tools mainly a cutting board (or a flat surface), kitchen shears, or in the absence of shears you can make do with a sharp knife. It takes less than 10 minutes to actually spatchcock a chicken and then additional 55 minutes to roast it in the oven. You can also spatchcock other birds like quail, turkey, and hen.

Spatchcock Chicken Recipe

In this post, I will teach you how to butterfly chicken, then how to make the spatchcock chicken marinade, how to marinate it, how to roast it, what to serve with, tips, and then answer some frequently asked questions. So make sure you read the detailed post so you don’t miss any of the information.

The chicken is well seasoned with few ingredients, it’s a no-fuss recipe but the result is perfect. This is the best spatchcock chicken recipe even if I do say so myself. Let’s get on to it!

How to Spatchcock a Chicken

Place the whole chicken on a flat surface breast side down and remove any giblets.

Use your fingers to identify the backbone then use kitchen shears or a sharp knife to cut along one side all the way through.

Cut the other side all the way through then remove the bone.

You can cook the bone with the chicken or save it to make chicken stock.

Flip the chicken over so the breast is facing up then flatten the breast bone with the heels of your hands.

Turn the legs and tuck in the wings and it’s done.

Ingredients 

Whole chicken 

Butter

Parsley

Rosemary

Thyme

Coriander

Black pepper

Paprika

Onion 

Garlic

Salt

How to Cook Spatchcock Chicken

First, make the marinade by adding the parsley, paprika, black pepper, rosemary, salt to the butter then mix well.

Pat the chicken dry and apply the marinade under the skin and all over the chicken ensuring that all parts are well covered with the marinade.

Cover with clingfilm and put in the fridge to marinate for 60 minutes or longer.

Bring out of the fridge and place the chicken breast up on the rack of the oven tray. 

Put the tray in the oven and bake at a temperature of 220C/400F for 55 minutes or till it’s golden brown and done inside.

Bring it out of the oven and leave it to rest for 5-10 minutes before cutting into it.

Serve and enjoy with side of choice. 

What to eat with

Spatchcocked chicken can be served with side dishes like 

Oven roasted Carrots

Roasted potatoes

Spicy rice

Curry rice

Sauteed Vegetables

Rice and beans

How to Store and Reheat

If you have leftovers, put in a Ziploc or airtight container and store in the fridge or freezer. It will remain safe in the fridge for up to 3 days. If stored in the freezer, it can be stored for up to 6 months.

To reheat, you can either reheat in the oven or air fryer. If reheating in the oven, remove chicken from packaging, place on an oven tray then bake at a temperature of 200C/400F for 8 minutes or till it is hot and heated through.

If in the air fryer, remove from wraps and packaging and put in the air fryer basket. Air fry at a temperature of 180C for 5 minutes or till heated through.

Tips for making Spatchcock Chicken

• Marinate the chicken for 60 minutes or more if there’s time for it.
• You can season the chicken with homemade rubs like this chicken seasoning, jerk seasoning, or any other of your favorite dry rub.
• The marinade is so good and you can use it for a whole chicken or any other poultry.
• You can use a skillet to grill in the oven in place of the oven tray.
• After bringing out of the oven, leave the chicken to rest for 10 minutes before cutting.

Can you spatchcock a chicken with a knife?

Yes, although it’s easier to with kitchen scissors. Follow the same directions as detailed above.

What is spatchcock chicken cooking time?

For a 2kg (4lb) chicken, It takes 55 minutes to roast in the oven at a temperature of 200C/400F.

Check out these other Tasty Chicken Recipes on the blog

Stovetop chicken breasts

Air fryer chicken legs

Air fryer fried chicken

Honey garlic chicken

Baked chicken wings

Hope you like this recipe as much as I do. If you find this post helpful, rate it 5 stars and leave me a comment below. I love reading from you.

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