Spatchcock Chicken Recipe (With Lemon & Mustard)

5 from 5 votes

Spatchcock chicken is the easiest way to roast a whole chicken, with the simple, zesty flavors of lemon and mustard.

Prep Time10

Cook Time45

Total Time55

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, French

Servings: servings

4 pound spatchcock chicken usually sold right next to the whole chickens in the grocery store!
2 lemons
2 tablespoons grainy Dijon mustard
2 large garlic cloves minced
2 teaspoons dried tarragon
Salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 425°F. 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.
Turn oven down to 350°F. And let chicken roast for 5-10 more minutes, until the internal temperature of the chicken breasts reach at least 165°F. I usually roast chicken to 170-175°F.
Let chicken rest on counter for 10 minutes before carving, spoon extra juice over the top of each plate!

If your oven typically runs hot or cold, reduce or add roasting time accordingly (usually by 5-10 minutes)!
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!