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4.6 from 66 votes

Cast Iron Roast Spatchcock Chicken Dinner

Make the best cast iron roast spatchcock chicken dinner with potatoes and a lemony pan sauce! Juicy and flavorful, this butterflied whole chicken is the best dinner in a cast iron pan.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
1 hr
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 264 kcal
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Lemon Herb Seasoning
  • 2 tbsp kosher salt
  • 1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
  • Zest of 1 lemon grated
  • 1 tsp fresh rosemary leaves finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp fresh parsley finely chopped
  • 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves finely chopped
Chicken and Potatoes
  • 1 whole chicken, spatchcocked 4-5 pound chicken
  • 2 lb baby potatoes sliced in half
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • Juice of 2 lemons
  • 1 medium yellow onion cut in 1/4 inch half-moon slices
  • 2 heads garlic cut in half horizontally

Instructions

Mix together the lemon herb seasoning
    Cup of Yum
  1. In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon zest, parsley, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
Roast the Chicken and Potatoes
  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F (180°C).
  2. Thoroughly pat the chicken's skin dry all with a paper towel and drizzle olive oil on both sides. Generously rub half of the herb seasoning mixture onto the chicken, both skin-side and cavity side.
  3. Toss the halved baby potatoes, onion slices, and garlic with the rest of the seasoning, lemon juice, and oil in the cast iron pan.
  4. Roast the chicken for 50-60 minutes, turning halfway through for even cooking, until the skin is deeply golden brown (and if using a meat thermometer, the internal temperature reads 160℉ to 165℉ in the thickest part of the thigh without touching the bone). Once done, remove from the oven.
  5. Take the chicken from the cast iron pan and place it on a clean cutting board. Remove the potatoes from the pan as well with a slotted spoon to a serving plate. You'll be left with a pan sauce in the pan! Let chicken rest for 10 minutes to redistribute juices.
  6. Carve the chicken on the cutting board and serve with potatoes and the pan sauce.

Notes

  • Put the chicken and potatoes into an airtight container for up to 4 days. Keep the pan sauce in a separate container so the potatoes don't soak it all up.
  • Reheat the dish in the microwave until warm, nothing fancy needed!
  • Flip the chicken backbone-side up (breast-side down) on a cutting board. Use sharp kitchen shears to carefully cut out the backbone, cutting up both sides. 
  • Flip the chicken over, breast-side up. Splay the thighs so the chicken is as flat as possible, as shown.
  • Then use the heel of your palms to press down and firmly crack the breastbone in the chicken, which will make the breasts lay flatter. Your chicken is now spatchcocked!
  • If you're using a bigger or smaller bird than in the recipe, use a probe thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh to keep track of the temperature.
  • If you're using a bigger or smaller bird than in the recipe, use a probe thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh to keep track of the temperature.
  • Roast the chicken by itself and make mashed potatoes instead of having the roasted potatoes in the pan.
  • Roast the chicken by itself and make mashed potatoes instead of having the roasted potatoes in the pan.
  • Cut the wing tips off and save them alongside the backbone for that chicken stock. This way, you don't have to worry about them burning!
  • Cut the wing tips off and save them alongside the backbone for that chicken stock. This way, you don't have to worry about them burning!
  • If you don't have a cast iron skillet, a baking dish works perfectly.
  • If you don't have a cast iron skillet, a baking dish works perfectly.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1 serving Calories 264kcal (13%) Carbohydrates 33g (11%) Protein 8g (16%) Fat 12g (18%) Saturated Fat 2g (10%) Polyunsaturated Fat 2g Monounsaturated Fat 8g Trans Fat 0.02g Cholesterol 14mg (5%) Sodium 2351mg (98%) Potassium 769mg (22%) Fiber 4g (16%) Sugar 2g (4%) Vitamin A 126IU (3%) Vitamin C 40mg (44%) Calcium 52mg (5%) Iron 2mg (11%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 264

% Daily Value*

Serving 1 serving
Calories 264kcal 13%
Carbohydrates 33g 11%
Protein 8g 16%
Fat 12g 18%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g 12%
Monounsaturated Fat 8g 40%
Trans Fat 0.02g 1%
Cholesterol 14mg 5%
Sodium 2351mg 98%
Potassium 769mg 16%
Fiber 4g 16%
Sugar 2g 4%
Vitamin A 126IU 3%
Vitamin C 40mg 44%
Calcium 52mg 5%
Iron 2mg 11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.