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Finished Spatchcock Chicken on a gold baking sheet with rosemary, sage, and thyme sprigs around it.
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Spatchcock Chicken

Simple to make in a fraction of the usual roasting time, this spatchcock chicken is the perfect family dinner. This chicken is extra flavorful and juicy thanks to a simple dry brine combined with my favorite herb butter. Serve this roasted spatchcock chicken, with my best mashed potatoes, and sautéed green beans for a classic combination.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Author : Kari Peters
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6
Calories: 391kcal

Ingredients

  • 4 pound whole chicken
  • 1 tsp kosher salt I use Baleine kosher sea salt
  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 4 tbsp herb butter see notes

Instructions

  • Using a pair of sturdy kitchen shears, cut the spine out of the chicken, beginning from the bottom end.
    Four pictures put together in a grid to show cutting the backbone out of the chicken with a pair of kitchen shears.
  • Next, turn the chicken over and press the tip of a large chef's knife into the center of the breast bone. Lightly tap the top of the knife handle until you hear the slight crack of the breast bone. Turn the chicken over and push down on the breastbone like you're doing CPR until you hear a light crack.
    Four pictures put together in a grid showing cracking the breastbone of the chicken and rubbing it with kosher salt.
  • Then, turn the legs over so you can loosen the skin and rub salt under and on top of the skin for the dry brine. Place the chicken breast-side up in a shallow roasting container and refrigerate it uncovered overnight to let the skin dry out.
    Placing the dry brined chicken into a shallow baking dish.
  • The next day when you're ready to roast the chicken preheat the oven to 425ºF. Rub the dried out chicken skin with a little olive oil. 
    Rubbing the dry brined spatchcock chicken with oil on a cookie sheet.
  • Then loosen the skin around the legs and breast meat and rub the meat all over with the herb butter. Insert an oven-safe meat thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken breast, and bake the chicken until the thermometer reads about 160°F, 40-45 minutes.
    Putting herb butter under the skin of the spatchcocked chicken.
  • Remove the chicken from the oven and let it come up to temperature, about 10 minutes before carving. Refer to the video to see how to carve a spatchcock chicken.
    Finished Spatchcock Chicken on a gold baking sheet with rosemary, sage, and thyme sprigs around it.
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Notes

For the simplest roasted spatchcock chicken, skip the overnight dry brine and herb butter. Spatchcock the chicken, rub with salt and oil, and roast. When I'm in a hurry, this is how I make this recipe from start to finish in one hour, and it's still really awesome!
If you have a wire rack for your baking dish, use it to elevate the chicken from the pan. Pour in enough chicken broth or water to keep the bottom covered to prevent splattering and smoking in your oven.
I've used a glass Pyrex baking dish, a sturdy rimmed baking sheet, and a large cast iron pan to roast spatchcock chicken, and they all work. I recommend baking dishes over the baking sheet because sturdy ones are harder to find.

Nutrition

Calories: 391kcal | Carbohydrates: 0.01g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 129mg | Sodium: 549mg | Potassium: 277mg | Sugar: 0.01g | Vitamin A: 436IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 1mg