Recipes Ingredients Meat & Poultry Chicken Grilled Spatchcocked Chicken 3.4 (112) 4 Reviews Grilling season just got an upgrade thanks to this simple spatchcocked chicken recipe. By Martha Stewart Martha Stewart Martha Stewart is a bestselling author, entrepreneur, and lifestyle expert who has taught millions of people through generations the joy of entertaining, cooking, gardening, collecting, crafting, and home renovating via her eponymous magazine, Martha Stewart Living, Emmy-winning television shows, and 99 books (and counting). Based in Katonah, N.Y., where she helms her 156-acre Bedford Farm, Martha is America's first self-made female billionaire. Editorial Guidelines Updated on April 29, 2024 Rate PRINT Share Prep Time: 30 mins Total Time: 8 hrs Servings: 4 It may have a funny name, but this grilled spatchcocked chicken is our go-to chicken dinner. It can feed a crowd and is overall much easier to cook perfectly. Spatchcocking, or butterflying, involves cutting the chicken along the backbone. This allows you to flatten and open the chicken, reducing the amount of time the bird takes to cook. It also ensures every part of the chicken cooks evenly, which can be difficult with whole birds. Plus, when a chicken is split open, there's more surface area for seasoning. The rub in this grilled chicken recipe is simple yet flavorful, featuring a classic blend of onions, garlic, herbs, and lemon zest. Double the recipe if your grill is big enough. Our Tips for Perfect Grilled Chicken That's Juicy and Flavorful Rachel Marek How to Spatchcock Chicken in 2 Easy Steps Before grilling up that juicy bird, you’ll need to know how to break it down. This method is called spatchcocking, and it’s much easier than it might sound. You’ll need a secure cutting board and a pair of sharp kitchen shears to get the job done. Remove the backbone: Place the bird breast-side down on the cutting board. Starting at the rear cavity, use the kitchen shears to cut along both sides of the backbone to separate it from the rest of the bird. You’ll need to use a little elbow grease for this step. Flatten the chicken: Flip the bird breast-side up and, using the palms of your hands, press down firmly on the breastbone to flatten. If you’re noticing a lot of resistance, you can use the scissors to make a 1-inch cut in the breastbone—sometimes this will help it flatten more easily. If you’re still a little intimidated by the idea of breaking down your own chicken, ask your butcher to do it for you. Be sure to ask for them to include the backbone. It’s chock-full of flavor, and we like to brown it in a pot before using it to make homemade chicken stock. How to Spatchcock a Chicken in 4 Easy Steps Benefits of Spatchcocked Chicken Once you know how to break down a whole chicken, there are nothing but good reasons to make spatchcocked chicken every time. Cooks evenly: Part of the difficulty in roasting a whole bird is that it doesn’t always cook evenly (many Thanksgiving disasters have occurred because of this). Since a spatchcocked bird lays flat on the grill, every part of the meat is exposed directly to the heat. The breasts and thighs all cook through very evenly, whereas with a whole chicken, the white meat tends to cook through more quickly than the dark meat, leaving it somewhat dry. Cooks quickly: Since there is less surface area, spatchcocked chicken also cooks much more quickly than a whole bird. Depending on how you cook it (i.e., on the grill vs. in the oven), a spatchcocked chicken can cook in about half the time as a whole chicken. Easier to carve: Once the chicken has been flattened, half of the work is done for you. Carving will come naturally—the thighs will pull away naturally from the rest of the bird, and the breast is much easier to carve off since it’s lying on a flat surface. More flavorful overall: Since nearly every nook and cranny of the bird is exposed to direct heat, every part of the skin will get crisp and flavorful. You can spatchcock a Thanksgiving turkey, too. It’ll roast in half the time and won’t leave you wondering if anything is properly cooked. Ingredients 1 medium onion, peeled and cut in half 1 large garlic clove, peeled ⅓ cup packed fresh herbs, such as rosemary, thyme, parsley, and sage leaves ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil ½ lemon, zest removed in strips with a peeler 1 chicken (3 ½ to 4 pounds), spatchcocked Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper Directions Rachel Marek Make chicken rub: Puree onion, garlic, herbs, oil, and zest in a food processor. Rachel Marek Apply rub: Rub some puree under skin of chicken breast. Rub remaining puree over rest of bird. Rachel Marek Chill chicken: Refrigerate the bird at least 6 hours and up to 8 hours. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Rachel Marek Remove rub and season chicken: Wipe off most of rub; season with salt and pepper. Rachel Marek Rachel Marek Grill chicken: Heat grill to medium-high, or set up for indirect heat. Grill chicken, breast side down, covered with vent open, until nicely charred, 10 to 15 minutes. Rachel Marek Turn chicken: Flip; cook 30 minutes more. Rachel Marek Flip again to finish cooking: Flip again; grill until internal temperature reaches 165°F in thickest part of breast, 5 minutes more. Let rest 10 minutes. Rachel Marek Storage Leftover grilled chicken can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Store the chicken in large pieces, like whole breasts or thighs—they will reheat more evenly this way. Reheating To reheat leftover meat, place the chicken pieces on a foil-lined baking sheet and warm in a 350 degree oven for 6 to 8 minutes. If you want to crisp up the skin again, you can pop the chicken under the broiler for 30 to 60 seconds. How to Use Leftover Chicken Spatchcocked chicken is a catch for so many reasons, but we have one more to add to the list: it makes great leftovers. Shred or cube leftover chicken breast and mix with mayonnaise, lemon juice, celery, and fresh herbs to make homemade chicken salad. Leftover chicken is the perfect protein to add to burrito bowls. Warm it up alongside cooked rice, beans, sliced avocado, and your salsa of choice. Grain bowls are another hearty option. Just choose your favorite cooked whole-grains, vegetables, cheese, and dressing. Feeling a little under the weather? Stir some shredded chicken into warmed bone broth with some sautéed vegetables and egg noodles—instant chicken noodle soup! Cobb salad is traditionally made with turkey, but leftover chicken does the trick too. The same goes for club sandwiches. Swap the usual deli turkey with thin slices of chicken and pile it onto layers of toasted bread with crispy bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, and a smear of mayonnaise. 18 Quick Recipes That Start With Rotisserie Chicken (the Ultimate Dinner Shortcut) Frequently Asked Questions What is the difference between spatchcocked and butterflied chicken? Spatchcocking is a variation on the technique known as butterflying. Butterfyling refers to splitting the meat so that it can be more easily flattened. When you spatchcock a chicken, you are essentially butterflying it, but also removing the backbone at the same time. Does spatchcocked chicken cook faster than whole chicken? Yes. Since the meat is flattened, spatchcocked chicken can cook in nearly half the time as a whole chicken, depending on how it’s cooked. How do I know when the chicken is done? A meat thermometer is the most accurate way to ensure meat is thoroughly cooked—it should register between 155-160 degrees (the meat will carry over as it rests to reach the perfect temperature of 165 degrees). You can also insert a small paring knife into the chicken between the breast and thigh meat (not touching the bone). If the juices run clear, the bird is done. The Right Way to Use a Meat Thermometer for Perfectly Cooked Beef, Chicken, and Pork Try These Other Chicken Recipes: Roast Chicken With Vegetables and Potatoes Grilled Marinated Chicken Thighs Grilled Chicken Breasts With BBQ Sauce Herb-Roasted Chicken and Vegetables Breaded Chicken Breasts Baked Chicken Legs With Chickpeas, Olives, and Greens Originally appeared: Martha Stewart Living, June 2012 Rate It PRINT Updated by Riley Wofford Riley Wofford Riley is an associate food editor for Martha Stewart Living.