Best 7 Spatchcock Chicken Recipes

SPATCHCOCK CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil.
• Place chicken, breast side down, on a work surface. Starting at the tail end, cut along both sides of backbone with kitchen shears. Remove backbone. Grabbing hold of both sides of the chicken, open it like a book. Turn breast side up. Push down on each side of breast with your hands until you hear it crack. Flatten chicken and transfer to one short end of the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the second chicken.
• Combine salt, tarragon, paprika, and pepper in a small bowl. Stir in oil. Run your fingers under chicken skin and rub tarragon paste under skin. Slide lemon slices under skin, in a single layer.
• Roast until skin is crisp and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of breast reads 165 degrees F, about 35 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting each chicken into 8 pieces.

SPATCHCOCK ROASTED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Lay the chicken on a cutting board breast-side down, with the legs closest to you. Use kitchen shears to cut out the backbone. Open the chicken like a book to reveal the ribs and sternum. Use a chef's knife to score the sternum vertically down the center, then use your hands and body weight to crack the sternum and flatten the breasts and rib cage. Season the chicken all over with 2 teaspoons salt and a generous amount of pepper.
• Lay the thyme sprigs in the center of a rimmed baking sheet and place the chicken on top, skin-side up. Roast the chicken until the skin is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees F, about 40 minutes.
• Let the chicken rest 5 minutes before serving.

ROASTED SPATCHCOCK CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400˚ F. Rinse the chicken, pat dry and rub all over with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Generously season on both sides with salt and pepper.
• Heat a large cast-iron or other ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. When the oil is hot, place the chicken, skin side down, in the pan. Cook until the skin starts to crisp on the edges and the color is golden brown. Flip the chicken over with tongs, taking care not to splatter oil toward yourself, and add the garlic, rosemary and thyme around the chicken in the pan. Squeeze a lemon half over the top and place both lemon halves in the pan, cut sides down.
• Transfer the pan to the oven and roast the chicken (skin side up) for 30 to 35 minutes, until a meat thermometer registers 155˚ F when inserted in the thickest part of a breast. Let rest for about 10 minutes, then carve and serve with pan juices.

PERUVIAN-STYLE SPATCHCOCK CHICKEN WITH CREAMY CILANTRO SAUCE

Steps:

• Gently separate the skin of the chicken from the meat with your fingers.
• Whisk together the soy, sambal, mustard, pasilla/ancho powder, cumin, salt, lime zest and juice and a few cracks of black pepper. Pour into a ziptop bag, add the chicken and marinate, refrigerated, overnight.
• When ready to cook, place a cast-iron skillet on the bottom rack of the oven and preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
• Remove the chicken from the marinade and pat dry.
• Carefully remove the hot skillet and lower the oven temperature to 450 degrees F. Add the vegetable oil to the skillet, place the chicken breast-side down in it and return it immediately to the oven. Roast until well browned, 20 to 30 minutes. Gently flip the chicken and cook until the breast registers 160 degrees F, about another 10 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes on a cutting board. Slice and serve with Creamy Cilantro Sauce.
• Put the cilantro, oregano, honey, mustard, cumin, serrano, lime zest and juice and garlic in a food processor. Process until smooth, scraping down the sides to evenly distribute. Add the mayo and pulse until combined. Season with salt and pepper.

SPATCHCOCK CHICKEN SHEET PAN SUPPER

Steps:

• Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 475 degrees F.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the oregano, thyme, 1/2 cup of the olive oil, the juice of 2 lemon halves and a pinch of salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Place a kitchen towel over the top of a cutting board. Place the chicken on the towel breast-side down and locate the backbone. With sharp kitchen shears, cut along one side of the spine followed by the other, then remove the backbone and discard or reserve for stock. Flip the chicken over and lay flat. Press down firmly with your hands on the center of the breast. The breastbone should pop and the chicken should sit relatively flat. Season the chicken all over with 2 tablespoons of salt and 2 teaspoons of pepper.
• Add remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil to a rimmed sheet pan and distribute evenly. Place the chicken skin-side up in the middle. Rub the chicken's skin with 3 tablespoons of the oil and herb mixture.
• Toss the potatoes with 3 tablespoons of the oil and herb mixture. Distribute the potatoes around the chicken on the sheet pan. Roast for 15 minutes, then lower the heat to 400 degrees F and continue roasting for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, toss the zucchini, cherry tomatoes and garlic in the remaining oil and herb mixture. Scatter around the sheet pan and roast until the chicken is totally cooked through, an additional 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Let it rest while you arrange the potatoes and vegetables on a platter.
• Separate the chicken into 6 pieces: 2 breasts with wing, 2 thighs and 2 legs. Arrange in the middle of the platter. Squeeze the remaining lemon halves over the platter and garnish with chopped parsley.

SPATCHCOCK ROAST CHICKEN WITH SCHMALTZY POTATOES AND GREEN GODDESS SAUCE

Steps:

• Locate the backbone of the chicken and cut all the way through the bird along both sides of the backbone. Save the bone for stock. Turn the chicken over and press down firmly to crack the keel bone. Your chicken is now spatchcocked and will lay flat.
• Sprinkle salt all over the chicken from 8 inches above the bird. That ensures the salt falls evenly over the chicken. Place on a baking sheet or a baking pan and refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 12 hours and up to 36 hours.
• When the chicken is ready, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Toss the potatoes with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper and place on a sheet tray. Place the chicken over the bed of potatoes, breast-side up and wings tucked under, then brush with olive oil.
• Roast for 10 minutes, then turn the oven down to 400 degrees F and roast until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees F, about 40 minutes more. You can make the Green Goddess Sauce now.
• When the chicken is fully cooked, place it on a cutting board to rest for 10 minutes before slicing. While waiting for the chicken, put the potatoes back in the oven at 450 degrees F and roast until crispy, another 10 to 15 minutes.
• To serve, slice the chicken breasts off the bone and slice each breast at an angle into 1-inch slices. Remove the wings and leg quarters and separate the thigh from the drumstick. The remaining carcass can be saved and frozen to make chicken stock. Serve the chicken with the schmaltz potatoes and Green Goddess Sauce.
• Soak the cashews in hot water for 10 minutes. Drain, then add the soaked cashews, 6 tablespoons water, the lemon juice, olive oil, horseradish, maple syrup, garlic and 1/4 teaspoon salt to a high-speed blender. Blend until the mixture is smooth. Add the cilantro, parsley, tarragon, dill and green onion and blend until all the herbs are fully incorporated. The sauce can be stored in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. If it becomes thick, thin with water as needed.

SPATCHCOCK CHICKEN WITH PAPRIKA AND OLIVE OIL - BONNIE STERN

Steps:

• Cut out back bone from chicken. Open flat and remove breast bone. If you wish, cut slits in the skin between the white and dark meat and insert chicken drumsticks for a neat presentation.
• In a bowl combine olive oil, paprika, salt, pepper and garlic. Place chicken in the dish or plastic bag and coat well. Marinate 10 minutes at room temperature or up to overnight in the refrigerator.
• To roast, place chicken, skin side up, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Roast in a preheated 375F (190C) oven for approximately 45 minutes to one hour or until golden brown and a meat thermometer reads 165F (75C) when inserted into a thigh.
• To grill chicken, place bone side down on a hot grill for 5 minutes. Turn and cook skin side down for a few minutes to brown. Place chicken bone side down on indirect heat now (cooler place on the grill) and cook 30 to 45 minutes longer until cooked through.