Lemon Herb Spatchcock Chicken

Use this Lemon Herb Spatchcock Chicken recipe to make a juicy and delicious whole chicken and learn how to spatchcock a chicken. You will learn why spatchcocking is the best way to cook a whole chicken and how to do it step by step with a diagram and video.

What is spatchcocking? And why should I spatchcock my chicken?

Spatchcocking is a cooking method where you remove the backbone of a chicken or turkey using kitchen shears then you break the chicken breast bone. This allows the chicken to lay completely flat as your roast it.

You should spatchcock your chicken before roasting because when the chicken lays flat the whole thing cooks evenly and everything is juicy. You don’t need to marinate or prepare a spatchcock chicken ahead of time and it roasts faster than a standard whole chicken.

One other benefit of spatchcocking a chicken is that cooking a whole chicken usually saves you money! The price per pound is more affordable than buying chicken parts even when you’re choosing an organic, antibiotic free chicken.

Okay, but HOW do I spatchcock a chicken?

I promise you can spatchcock a chicken in your own home even if you aren’t an experienced cook. First, you will need a 3-5lb whole chicken.

Remove the packaging from the chicken. There will likely be a bag of organs inside the chicken you can either just get rid of these or cook them up! There are lots of good nutrients in those organs so we usually give them to our dog.

The legs may be tied together so you can cut those apart too. Place your chicken on a cutting board with the breast side down and wings facing towards you.

Then, grab a pair of sharp kitchen shears. Locate the backbone between the wings. Cut along the the chicken on either side of backbone to remove. You will be cutting through the ribs. This should take some effort, but won’t be too hard to do.

Then, remove the backbone. Flip the chicken so the breast side is up again. Next, press down on the center of the breasts until you hear a pop. This is the breast bone breaking. Then the breasts will fall and the whole chicken will lay flat.

In case you’re a visual learner I have included a diagram and video below!

What kitchen tools will I need to make this Lemon Herb Spatchcock Chicken?

• Kitchen shears
• Mixing bowls
• Measuring spoons
• Measuring cups
• Baking sheet or cast iron skillet
• Meat thermometer

What ingredients will I need to make this spatchcock chicken?

You will be amazed at how easy it is to make this Lemon Herb Spatchcock chicken. You can even make this recipe Whole30 friendly if you use ghee instead of butter for the chicken rub!

• 3-5lb whole chicken
• Butter or ghee
• Salt
• Pepper
• Dried parsley
• Dried thyme
• Lemon
• Fresh garlic

How do I make this Lemon Herb Spatchcock Chicken?

Step 1: Preheat oven and prepare butter rub

First, preheat the oven to 450F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper – you can cook in a cast-iron skillet instead, but you need a very large one. Then, zest one lemon and mince the garlic.

Next, add butter, lemon zest, garlic, salt, pepper, dried parsley, and dried thyme to a small mixing bowl. Mix to combine thoroughly and set to the side.

Step 2: Spatchcock the chicken and apply butter

Then, spatchcock your chicken by removing the backbone and laying flat – see instructions and video above for how to do this. Lay the chicken flat with the breast side up.

Next, take your butter, lemon, and herb mixture and rub it all over the skin and under the skin of your bird. You can lift the skin on the breasts and the thighs to really pack a lot of the mixture under the skin – this is how the meat gets flavorful and juicy!

Then, lay your spatchcocked chicken on a lined baking sheet or in the cast iron skillet – I like to add some thick-cut carrot and onions to the pan

Step 3: Roast the chicken

Finally, place in the oven to bake for 45-55 minutes – until the thickest section of the thigh meat reads 165F on a meat thermometer. The timing will depend on the size of the bird.

Our 4lb chicken took 45 minutes, a 5lb chicken took 55 minutes and a 5.25lb chicken took nearly an hour. Use that as a guide, but the temperature is the best way to know.

Remove from the oven and allow the chicken to rest for about 15 minutes before cutting into parts to enjoy!

Step 4: Enjoy!

How should I serve this spatchcock chicken?

Once the chicken is cooked and slightly cooled I immediately break the chicken down into parts. Then, we usually immediately eat about half the chicken for dinner with some potatoes, mashed cauliflower or veggies. I take the leftover chicken and cut it into cubes and make chicken salad.

How long will this whole chicken keep in the fridge?

Once prepared, allow the chicken to cool completely. Store the spatchcock chicken in the fridge for up to 4 days.

You can find the full recipe below. If you make this recipe, please rate and review it in the comments, or share it with me on Instagram!

Recipe

Lemon Herb Spatchcock Chicken

★★★★★ 5 from 11 reviews

Make a whole spatchcock chicken with a flavorful lemon, herb, and butter rub

Recipe By: Madeline

Prep: 20 minutesCook: 45-55 minutesTotal: 18 minute

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Servings: 4 servings 1x

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Ingredients

• 3–5lb whole chicken
• 3 tbsp butter or ghee
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp dried parsley
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• Zest from 1 lemon
• 4 cloves of garlic minced

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 450F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper – you can cook in a cast-iron skillet instead, but you need a very large one
2. Zest one lemon and mince the garlic
3. Add butter, lemon zest, garlic, salt, pepper, dried parsley, and dried thyme to a small mixing bowl
4. Mix to combine thoroughly and set to the side
5. Spatchcock your chicken by removing the backbone and laying flat – see instructions and video above for how to do this
6. Lay the chicken flat with the breast side up
7. Take your butter, lemon, and herb mixture and rub it all over the skin and under the skin of your bird. You can lift the skin on the breasts and the thighs to really pack a lot of the mixture under the skin – this is how the meat gets flavorful and juicy
8. Lay your spatchcocked chicken on a lined baking sheet or in the cast iron skillet – I like to add some thick cut carrot and onions to the pan
9. Place in the oven to bake for 45-55 minutes – until the thickest section of the thigh meat reads 165F on a meat thermometer. The timing will depend on the size of the bird. Our 4lb chicken took 45 minutes, a 5lb chicken took 55 minutes and a 5.25lb chicken took nearly an hour. Use that as a guide, but the temperature is the best way to know
10. Remove from the oven and allow the chicken to rest for about 15 minutes before cutting into parts to enjoy!

Equipment

meat thermometer

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kitchen shears

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Notes

** A 4-5 lb chicken is enough for 4 large servings. Usually, Amy and I eat half at one meal and have half for leftovers for lunch the next day.

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.