This oven roasted spatchcock chicken will cause everyone at the dinner table to give you a standing ovation. Juicy, tender chicken roasted to perfection. Plus, you'll learn a new party trick with the spatchcock method of roasting a chicken. This is a great way to get that juicy, tender, fall off the bone chicken you've always wanted.
There's something about making a whole roast chicken in the comfort of your own oven. I love when I make my juicy oven roasted chicken thighs on the bone, or throwing my oven baked chicken with rice and fruit on the dinner table, but this spatchcock chicken is special as it's presented in an entirely different way.
TL; DR Summary - Roasted Spatchcock Chicken
- 👩🏼🍳 Cook Level: Intermediate/Moderate experience with kitchen tools and comfort level
- ⏱️ Cook Time: ~45-55 minutes
- 📖 Dietary Info: Poultry, dairy
- 😋 Taste: Juicy, savory, salty, herby, buttery
- 💖 Why You'll Love: This recipe is a twist on a classic whole roasted chicken, but butterflied and takes a little less time. Spatchcock chicken is great for holidays, weeknight dinners, or meal prep on the weekend.
- 🍽️ Best Paired With: Serve this with a side of roasted rainbow baby carrots with garlic butter, sautéed broccoli rabe with garlic or creamy garlic mashed potatoes.
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Trusted Tips and Key Reminders
- Use a thermometer for measuring the internal temperature of the chicken as it roasts. I highly recommend this so that you can ensure you do not overcook the chicken (or undercook for that matter).
- You want to use enough butter to cover the surface area of the chicken, and even enough to stuff on the inside of the skin. This helps give the chicken even more flavor.
- Use salted butter so that it gives the chicken more flavor.
- If you want to make a full meal at one time, add potatoes or vegetables to the pan to roast as well.
The Main Ingredients
- Young Whole Chicken: Buying chicken does not take a degree in neuroscience, but I typically choose between Empire Kosher chicken or Bell and Evans. It's a personal choice, but I find the cuts of chicken very high quality.
- Butter - Room temperature butter is essential for this recipe to give the chicken its buttery, roasted flavor.
- Seasoning: I like a traditional Italian blend but you can easily make your own with dried oregano, dried parsley, dried basil, paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
- Olive Oil - Just a little drizzle on top of the chicken before it bakes helps to give the skin a golden brown color and a crispier texture.
- Fresh Thyme: This is really just a garnish, but also adds depth of flavor.
Be sure to check out the recipe card at the end of this post for more information about quantities, measurements, and specific cooking instructions.
Recipe Swaps and Substitutions
- Buy it Pre-Spatchcocked - there are brands of chicken out there that sell this already done for you.
- Use Chicken Parts - you can also buy legs and thighs and throw them on a baking sheet instead if you're not ready for the entire bird.
To Spatchcock a Chicken:
Pat dry the whole chicken and place on a cutting board with the spine facing upwards, breast-side down. Find the spine along the middle of the back. Using kitchen shears, cut on each side of the spine and remove the spine. Save for stock!
Turn the bird over and locate the breast bone (toward the middle of the chest cavity. Turn the bird over again, this side breast side up. Place the palms of your hands into the center of both breasts and press down firmly. You will hear a crack, which means the breastbone is released and the chicken will lay flat. Season and dress chicken as you'd like and prepare for baking according to directions for recipe.
Roasting the Chicken:
Preheat the oven to 375º and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Once the bird is properly butterflied (or spatchcocked), place the bird in the center of the aluminum-lined pan, breast-side up,In a small mixing bowl, mix together but room temperature butter and seasoning. Mix together until it forms a paste-like consistency.
Taking your middle three fingers, scrape some of the butter from the bowl and spread around the entire chicken, including placing some of the butter in between crevices and under the skin. Continue to season until all of the herb butter is used. Drizzle the tablespoon of olive oil over the top of the chicken and place a fresh thyme bundle in the center of the chicken.
Bake the chicken at 375º for 50 minutes. Once the bird hits an internal temperature of 165º, take the bird out of the oven and let rest for 10 minutes prior to serving and slicing.
Storage and Freezer Information
To Store: Store the remainder of the chicken in tupperware and consume within 3-4 days of cooking. I would not suggest freezing the leftovers.
Hungry for More?
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
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Roasted Spatchcock Chicken
Equipment
- 1 baking sheet
- 1 cutting board
- measuring spoons
- mixing bowls
- 1 thermometer to check the internal temperature of the chicken
- 1 kitchen shears for spatchcocking the chicken
Ingredients
- 1 4-5lb Whole Chicken
- 3 tablespoon Butter softened
- 2 tablespoon Seasoning
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil
- Fresh Thyme
Instructions
To Spatchcock the Chicken
- Pat dry the whole chicken and place on a cutting board with the spine facing upwards, breast-side down.
- Find the spine along the middle of the back. Using kitchen shears, cut on each side of the spine and remove the spine. Save for stock!
- Turn the bird over so that the bird is breast side up, and locate the breast bone (toward the middle of the chest cavity. Place the palms of your hands into the center of both breasts and press down firmly. You will hear a crack, which means the breastbone is released and the chicken will lay flat.
- Season and dress chicken as you'd like and prepare for baking according to directions for recipe.
To Season and Cook the Chicken
- Preheat the oven to 375º and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- Once the bird has been properly butterflied (or spatchcocked), place the bird in the center of the aluminum-lined pan, breast-side up.
- In a small mixing bowl, mix together but room temperature butter and seasoning. Mix together until it forms a paste-like consistency. Taking your middle three fingers, scrape some of the butter from the bowl and spread around the entire chicken, including placing some of the butter in between crevices and under the skin. Continue to season until all of the herb butter is used.
- Drizzle the tablespoon of olive oil over the top of the chicken and place a fresh thyme bundle in the center of the chicken.
- Bake the chicken at 375º for 45-50 minutes. Once the bird hits an internal temperature of 165º, take the bird out of the oven, then let rest for 10 minutes prior to serving and slicing.
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