5 from 48 votes
Chicken Spatchcocked
Chicken Spatchcocked uses a whole 5-pound chicken with its backbone removed and breast flattened for even roasting. The bird is seasoned under the skin with salted butter and rubbed with salt and pepper outside, then roasted over aromatics like lemon, thyme, garlic, onion, and ginger. This technique produces juicy, evenly cooked chicken with crispy skin and infused flavors from the herbs and citrus below.
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
Additional Time
10 mins
Total Time
1 hr 15 mins
Servings:
8
people
Calories:
714 kcal
Course:
Dinner
Cuisine:
American
Ingredients
- 5 pounds chicken whole
- 3 lemon sliced, plural
- thyme fresh, springs
- 1 ginger peeled and sliced, 2-inch piece
- 1 vidalia onion peeled and sliced
- 6 garlic peeled, hard end removed, cloves
- 3 tablespoons butter cut into 4 pieces, unsalted
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 cup white wine
- salt
- black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375F.
- Place the chicken breast side down on a cutting board. Using a chef’s knife or poultry shears, cut along each side of the backbone, separating the backbone from the chicken. Remove the backbone and save it for stock or discard it.
- Turn the chicken, breast side up facing you, on a cutting board. With the heel of your hands, press firmly against the breastbone until it cracks and it lays flat.
- Start at the neck and loosen and lift the skin around the breasts and around the thighs part of the chicken. Gently push between skin and meat (be careful not to detach skin completely) and rub salt under the skin. Place the cut butter under the skin. Sprinkle generously salt and pepper all over the cavity and the all over skin.
- On a large cookie sheet, spread the lemon, thyme, sliced onion, garlic, and ginger to cover the bottom. Sprinkle with salt. Place the wire rack over the lemon onion mixture and place the flattened chicken breast side up, in the middle of the rack. Add the wine and 1 ½ cups of chicken stock.
- Roast the chicken in the preheated oven. Add more chicken stock to the cookie sheet if it starts to dry out. Rotate the chicken halfway through roasting time. Poke gently with a fork the breast at the tight junction to let out any juices.
- Bake for 1 to 1 ½ hours. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before carving.
Cup of Yum
Nutrition Information
Calories
714kcal
(36%)
Carbohydrates
8g
(3%)
Protein
55g
(110%)
Fat
47g
(72%)
Saturated Fat
15g
(75%)
Cholesterol
225mg
(75%)
Sodium
288mg
(12%)
Potassium
705mg
(15%)
Fiber
1g
(4%)
Sugar
2g
(4%)
Vitamin A
535IU
(11%)
Vitamin C
27.8mg
(31%)
Calcium
55mg
(6%)
Iron
3.1mg
(17%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 8 people
Amount Per Serving
Calories 714
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 714kcal | 36% |
| Carbohydrates | 8g | 3% |
| Protein | 55g | 110% |
| Fat | 47g | 72% |
| Saturated Fat | 15g | 75% |
| Cholesterol | 225mg | 75% |
| Sodium | 288mg | 12% |
| Potassium | 705mg | 15% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 2g | 4% |
| Vitamin A | 535IU | 11% |
| Vitamin C | 27.8mg | 31% |
| Calcium | 55mg | 6% |
| Iron | 3.1mg | 17% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.