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.
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.
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
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1 medium onion, peeled and cut in half
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1 large garlic clove, peeled
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⅓ cup packed fresh herbs, such as rosemary, thyme, parsley, and sage leaves
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¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
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½ lemon, zest removed in strips with a peeler
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1 chicken (3 ½ to 4 pounds), spatchcocked
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Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
Directions
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Make chicken rub:
Puree onion, garlic, herbs, oil, and zest in a food processor.
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Apply rub:
Rub some puree under skin of chicken breast. Rub remaining puree over rest of bird.
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Chill chicken:
Refrigerate the bird at least 6 hours and up to 8 hours. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.
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Remove rub and season chicken:
Wipe off most of rub; season with salt and pepper.
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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.
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Turn chicken:
Flip; cook 30 minutes more.
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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.
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.