This Roasted Spatchcock Chicken cooks far quicker than a regular roasted chicken, is full of flavour, tender and juicy. Using a whole chicken, butter, lemon zest, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper as a rub under the skin, this chicken brings all the flavour to the table . With seasonal side dishes this dinner can be suitable for all seasons.

---

So, what is a spatchcock chicken? Basically to spatchcock a chicken is to butterfly it out. You remove the backbone of the chicken to be able to flatten it out. What does this mean for cooking the chicken? Basically, it just means you can cook the chicken much faster. As well as the chicken cooking faster, it also lends itself to other cooking methods. Although, I roasted this chicken, spatchcock chickens can be easily grilled on the barbecue or cooked on the stove top.

I used to be a little skeptical about cooking chicken this way, but after the first time I did it, I was hooked. Of Course, I still love cooking chicken the traditional method like my Fresh Thyme & Lemon Roasted Chicken or in the crockpot like the Slow Cooker Lemon Rosemary Chicken. But this way is still tender, juicy and delicious. It also lends itself to a chicken that you can serve with summer sides as well as winter comfort food.

Let’s take a look how to make this roasted chicken.

Here’s What We Need To Make A SpatchCock Chicken

• Whole Chicken
• Butter
• Garlic
• Lemon Zest
• Fresh parsley
• Salt
• Pepper

REMEMBER, The full recipe and instructions is always found at the end of the post in the recipe card.

---

How To Make A Spatchcock Chicken

• Clean & pat dry the chicken – rinse under cold water and then pat dry with paper towels.
• Cut out the spine – Place the chicken on a clean surface with the spine facing up (so the breast will be facing down). Using very sharp kitchen scissors, make a cut either side of the spine and continue cutting all the way up to the neck. Remove spine and discard.

• Flatten out the chicken – after you’ve removed the spine, completely flatten out the chicken and clean out anything that remains.
• Flip and flatten again – now with the breast meat facing up, press down firmly with your hands to flatten the chicken out even further.

---

Make The Garlic Butter For The Chicken

• Prepare ingredients – grate the lemon zest, chop the parsley and crush the garlic.
• Combine to make garlic butter – add all the ingredients to a bowl and stir until you have a butter paste.

---

Prepare & roast The chicken

• Rub the garlic butter all over chicken – gently lift the skin from the chicken and rub about half of the garlic butter all over the chicken under the skin. Using the other half of the garlic butter, rub the outside of skin.

• Place chicken in a roasting tin and roast – roast the chicken for approximately 45 – 55 minutes or until juices run clear and the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees f.

NOTE, the best way to check if a chicken is done is by using a meat thermometer. Just insert it in the thickest part of the chicken and when it reaches 165 degrees f, the chicken is cooked.

---

Remove the Spatchcock Chicken From the Oven and Leave it to rest

I like to pour the pan juices all over the chicken as soon as it comes out of the oven. This adds more flavour and makes it juicier. Then I usually leave it to rest for about 10 minutes before cutting into it.

Serve & Enjoy The Roasted Chicken

I’ve made this several times this summer and everyone really loves it. My teens said it was one of the best chickens they’ve had. And they are fussy…hahaha. I take the compliments when I can get them. I served it with a simple Potato Salad and some Italian Roasted Green Peppers. Those are great options for keeping this summer seasonal.

What are Some Great Side Dishes To Serve With This Spatchcock Chicken

One of the really great things about this roasted chicken recipe is that it’s great for all seasons. It can be served in the summer with salads and in the cooler months with more comforting side dishes. So I’ll put a few suggestions here for great side dishes to serve alongside this Spatchcock Chicken.

• Spring/Summer Side Dishes – Some great options for fresher sides would be the Italian Green Peppers, The Roasted Red Pepper & Feta Salad, Paprika Spiced Potato Wedges or even the Bell Pepper Pasta Salad. All great options for serving this in warmer temperatures.
• Fall/Winter Side Dishes – There are so many options for keeping this chicken comforting. Dishes like the Potato & Leek Cakes, Sherry Sauteed Asparagus & Carrots, Old Fashioned Scalloped Potatoes and the Parmesan Topped Green Beans would all go well.

Just A few Extra Notes About The Chicken

• Cooking time will vary – if your chicken is a little bigger or smaller, keep this in mind when cooking the chicken.
• Can prep before hand – get it all ready and store it in the fridge in the morning. Then, you just have to pop it in the oven for dinner. Makes life easy!
• Can be cooked in a deep sided pan or a baking sheet – either one is fine and it won’t affect cooking time. Just keep in mind it has to be a baking sheet with and edge as a lot of juices do come out of the chicken during cooking.

Enjoy the Spatchcock Chicken friends. I hope you get a chance to make it sometime soon. If you love roasted chickens, you’ll love it cooked this way as well. Don’t forget to check back on Wednesday for a new muffin recipe. A great one using some seasonal vegetables. Have a great Monday and keep on cooking!

Here’s Some More Recipes You Might Like To try

---

Get The Recipe!

---

Thanks For Stopping by & Hope To See You Soon!