SPATCHCOCK! A funny name but a delish dinner in a pinch! If you haven’t heard of a spatchcock chicken, it’s a whole chicken with its backbone removed, laid flat, for faster and more even roasting.
For the perfect weeknight dinner, buy a spatchcock chicken in the grocery store and let it roast while you’re busy doing other things. My 5-minute glaze will add instant bright, briny flavor that’s perfect in the warmer months!
My STEP-BY-STEP VIDEO below will help guide you through the recipe. Subscribe to my YouTube channel for recipe videos every week!
Makes: 4-pound roast chicken (typically serves 4 people with sides)
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Total time: 55 minutes
The Ingredients
~4 pound spatchcock chicken (usually sold right next to the whole chickens in the grocery store!)
2 lemons
2 heaping tablespoons grainy Dijon mustard
2 large garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons dried tarragon
Salt & pepper
The Steps
NOTE: if your oven typically runs hot or cold, reduce or add roasting time accordingly (usually by 5-10 minutes)!
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
For the lemon-mustard glaze: In a bowl, mix together the zest of 1 lemon, the juice of 2 lemons, grainy mustard, garlic, tarragon, and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
To roast: Place spatchcock chicken on a baking sheet or in a shallow roasting pan. Place chicken directly in the oven (with nothing on it!) for 40 minutes. At 40 minutes, pull oven rack out and spoon mustard mixture evenly over chicken.
NOTE: Some of the mixture will fall over the sides of the chicken on to the baking dish. Not to worry! The bits will caramelize and you can spoon them onto the chicken when serving!
Turn oven down to 350 degrees. And let chicken roast for 5-10 more minutes, until the internal temperature of the chicken breasts reach at least 165 degrees. I usually roast chicken to 170-175 degrees.
Let chicken rest on counter for 10 minutes before carving, spoon extra juice over the top of each plate!
The Steps With Video
My STEP-BY-STEP VIDEO below will help guide you through the recipe. Subscribe to my YouTube channel for recipe videos every week!
With the summer season getting into full swing, I suggest cooking the spatchcocked chicken on the grill. I have a 3 burner gas grill and only heat the left and right burners.
Heat the grill to 400 degrees. Roasting time 30 – 40 minutes………
Place the chicken on the middle burner. After 15 minutes, check the roasting progress viewing the grill thermometer AND using an instant read thermometer…..the burners may have to be adjusted accordingly.
I would attach a photo – for you to view – – – – should you request……
Author
Hi Barb,
Thanks so much for tips on grilling a spatchcock! Excited to try it out! Feel free to send a picture to my email, tastefullygrace@gmail.com.
Grace