Spatchco*ck Chicken Recipe (VIDEO) (2024)

FAQs

What is the downside of spatchco*ck? ›

The most common complaint about spatchco*cking is that it “just doesn't look right”. Well, we've already established that we don't need to hold onto that piece of ill-gotten nostalgia. The only real drawback is the anatomical aspect of the process.

Not only does spatchco*cking produce a roast chicken in at least 15 minutes less than the time required to prepare an intact roasted bird, but it also results in a more perfectly cooked dish. Who hasn't suffered the age-old issue of overcooked breast meat and undercooked thighs?

Cook it with the lid closed for 45 minutes to an hour until a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees F. Rest & serve. Once the chicken is done, let it rest for about 20 minutes before cutting into it and serving it up.

Flip the chicken over so it's breast side down. Using your shears or knife cut just on each side of the backbone, cutting through the ribs and removing the spine completely. You can save the spine and use it for gravy as well (like I mentioned above) or discard it.

It's a cooking method involving cutting out the backbone of the chicken so it cooks flat, resulting in a faster, more evenly cooked chicken with crispier skin.

The result is a bird that cooks exactly the way you want it. Blast it in a hot oven (I'm talking 450 to 500°F or 232 to 260°C here), and you'll find that miraculously, the breast will reach 150°F (66°C) just as the legs reach 170°F (77°C) and the skin reaches delicious. No brining, no salting, no flipping, no problem.

Roast the chicken until the skin is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees F, about 40 minutes. Let the chicken rest 5 minutes before serving.

Poultry is often butterflied. Butterflying makes poultry easier to grill or pan-broil. The more specific term spatchco*cking refers to a variation on butterflying that also removes the backbone and possibly the sternum, typically from a smaller bird. Removing the sternum allows the bird to be flattened more fully.

Cook for 45-50 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer or temperature probe inserted into the thickest part of the breast registers 165°F.

It is completely up to you and as tempting as it is to flip it when you're using the oven method, it is not necessary. The outer part of your chicken will cook to brownish in color as it continues to cook through the inside, if you flip it over sometimes both sides will become dry.

Is it worth it to spatchco*ck a chicken? ›

You're in a hurry – A spatchco*cked chicken cooks up to 25% faster than an intact whole chicken. Less time cooking means more time for everything else. You don't like dry meat – With the breasts level with the thighs while cooking, the former are less likely to dry out.

Place your chicken on the indirect heat side of your grill.

Using long, clean strokes, slice down through the breast just to one side or the other of the keel bone that sticks up in the dead center of the breast. Continue long, clean knife strokes until you hit the bone cage below, then angle the knife to continue cutting the breast meat from the bone.

So instead of spatchco*cking, get yourself some chicken legs and thighs, or cut that bird into parts yourself. Not only do these individual parts cook evenly, they also have more surface area—and that means more delicious, smoky charring from a grill and more golden, crispy skin.

Say goodbye to over-cooked, dry, tasteless breast meat! As an added bonus, now that your turkey is flat, you have room to put other dishes on the racks below it in the oven if you so desire. The only downside to the spatchco*ck? You can't stuff your turkey.

While it is a little extra butchery work, spatchco*cking a turkey helps it cook more evenly and quickly. Additionally, this method exposes all the skin at the same time, so you end up with a perfectly crispy skin and juicy meat. Take your time and the results will be well-worth the effort!