Spatchcock Chicken Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Spatchcock chicken is the easiest way to cook a roast chicken. It is juicy, flavourful and can be seasoned anyway you like!

Prep Time30

Cook Time1 15

Total Time1 45

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: Servings

Calories: 382kcal

Author: Jessica

Pat the chickens dry and place them on a sturdy flat surface. Starting with one of the chickens, flip the chicken over so it is laying on its front side (breast side). Using a pair of kitchen shears, cut vertically up the back of the chicken along one side of the backbone. Repeat on the other side of the backbone to remove the backbone entirely.Set the backbone aside and turn the chicken onto its front again. Using your hands, guide the back of the chicken so it is lying open on a flat surface. Using your palms, press down as hard as you can in the middle of the chicken’s breastbone. You will hear a popping sound, and the chicken will lie flat. Repeat with the second chicken.

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Transfer the spatchcocked chickens to a large baking sheet that has been fitted with a wire rack and lay the backbones next to the chickens on the wire rack.
In a small mixing bowl combine the melted butter, olive oil, poultry seasoning, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Stir to combine. Using a brush, brush the chickens all over with the seasoning mixture. Pour the water into the bottom of the baking sheet (this helps keep the chicken moist during cooking).
Bake the chickens for 65-75 minutes, the chicken is fully cooked when the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Let the chicken cool for 10 minutes before breaking it down and serving.

If the chickens start getting too brown during the baking time, loosely cover them with aluminum foil.
A turkey may be cooked using this method as well. Cooking it this way will cook the turkey faster and make it much juicier than cooking it whole. To cook a turkey, follow the same instructions to remove the backbone and spatchcock the bird. The baking time will vary depending on the weight of the turkey. The general rule of thumb to cook a spatchcock turkey at 425°F is 6-10 minutes per pound. A fully cooked turkey's internal temperature needs to be 165°F or more. Measure the internal temperature by inserting a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the turkey meat.
Save the bones of the chicken to make homemade bone broth.
Leftover chicken needs to be removed from the carcass before storing. Store chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months once fully cooked and removed from the carcass.