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Ultimate Fast & Crispy Spatchcock Chicken with Garlic Herb Butter

A whole roasted spatchcock chicken with deeply browned, herb-crusted, crispy skin resting on a white plate.
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Learn the technique to spatchcock a whole chicken for fast, even cooking, resulting in exceptionally juicy meat and crispy skin using a simple garlic herb butter.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 whole chicken (about 4 pounds)
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 lemon, halved (for roasting)

Instructions

  1. Remove the chicken from its packaging and take out any giblets from the cavity. Pat the chicken completely dry, inside and out, with paper towels.
  2. Place the chicken breast-side down on a cutting board. Using strong kitchen shears, cut along both sides of the backbone, starting near the tail end, until you remove the entire backbone. Set the backbone aside for stock if desired.
  3. Flip the chicken over so it is breast-side up. Press down firmly on the center of the breastbone until you hear a crack and the chicken lies flat.
  4. In a small bowl, mix the softened butter with minced garlic, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper to create the herb butter.
  5. Gently lift the skin over the breast and thighs and rub about half of the herb butter directly onto the meat underneath the skin. Rub the remaining butter all over the outside of the chicken.
  6. Drizzle the chicken with olive oil. Place the lemon halves inside the cavity area.
  7. Place the spatchcocked chicken on a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet.
  8. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (220 degrees Celsius).
  9. Roast the chicken for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 165 degrees Fahrenheit (74 degrees Celsius).
  10. Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest uncovered for 10 minutes before carving.

Notes

  • For extra crispy skin, place the chicken in the refrigerator uncovered for at least 4 hours or overnight after seasoning.
  • You can roast vegetables like carrots and potatoes directly on the baking sheet beneath the wire rack for a sheet pan meal.
  • Use kitchen shears designed for poultry for the easiest removal of the backbone.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://sundayflavor.com/spatchcock-chicken-fast-crispy-recipe/