Spatchcocking shortens the cooking time so you can spend more time at the table and less time at the grill. Grilled Spatchcock Chicken is moist and juicy, seasoned with a salty and spicy dry rub that crisps up the skin for an abundance of flavor and texture.
A whole chicken or turkey can be quickly and easily spatchcocked to flatten it before cooking. With a spatchcocked chicken, you get an even thickness that enables faster grilling and uniform heating throughout.
This method makes it simple to remove excess fat and meat as you go, and the backbone is also easily removed, which makes it perfect for freezing and using later to make soup stock.
My spatchcock chicken recipe outlines how to flatten and grill a juicy, moist whole chicken with a crisp and flavorful skin step-by-step, including a how-to video (see below in recipe card).
I suggest serving this dish with my Alabama White Sauce, a tangy mayo BBQ sauce with a hint of heat, which is a basic dry rub made with salt, pepper, paprika, and a few other spices and seasonings that’s perfect for grilling.
How to prepare Classic Spatchcock Chicken | Recipe
Grilled Spatchcocked Chicken 🔗
Spatchcocking (or butterflying) lets you grill a whole bird, because it enables you to cook the meat evenly. If your grill is big enough, double the recipe. Leftovers are delicious over salad.
Prep: 30min
Total: 8h
Ingredients:
- 1 medium onion, peeled and cut in half
- 1 large garlic clove, peeled
- 1/3 cup packed fresh herbs, such as rosemary, thyme, parsley, and sage leaves
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 lemon, zest removed in strips with a peeler
- 1 chicken (3 1/2 to 4 pounds), spatchcocked (see instructions, below)
- Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
Instruction:
- Prep:Puree onion, garlic, herbs, oil, and zest in a food processor. Rub some puree under skin of chicken breast. Rub remaining puree over rest of bird. Refrigerate at least 6 hours and up to 8 hours. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Wipe off most of rub; season with salt and pepper.
- Grill: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. Flip; cook 30 minutes more. Flip again; grill until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees in thickest part of breast, 5 minutes more. Let rest 10 minutes.
FAQ
Do you flip spatchcock chicken?
Your chicken will cook differently depending on your grill, temperature, and size of your chicken. This recipe takes about an hour from start to finish. FAQIt’s important to flip your spatchcock chicken on the grill so it cooks evenly and chars on both sides.
How long does it take to cook spatchcock chicken on a Weber grill?
Brush some sauce over the chicken and place it bone side down on a roast holder. Place a drip pan on the charcoal grate. Place the roast holder on the cooking grate – in the middle. Cover the barbecue. Cook the chicken for 45–50 minutes, basting with sauce during the last 15-20 minutes.
What is the point of a spatchcock chicken?
Butterflied chicken cooks 25% faster than spatchcocked chicken, and because it’s on a flat surface, there is maximum exposure to heat, resulting in more crispy, golden brown skin. Spatchcocked chicken cooks more evenly, so the breast and thigh meat are done at the same time.