Name: Grilled Spatchcock Chicken
Prep time: 8 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 53 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 whole chicken; 1/4 cup olive oil; 1 lemon; 1 handle full of your favorite herbs; salt and pepper to taste

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Grilled Spatchcock is a delicious whole bird recipe/technique for cooking an entire chicken on the grill.

Enjoy The Video Version

This whole summertime eating tab wouldn’t be complete without a few grill recipes. Now this one you can actually throw into an oven if need be however the grill is arguably one of the best ways to enhance meat’s flavor. It also seems unjust to not cook outside in such a season as this.

My little outdoor kitchen has been hard at work and is the hub for the many get-togethers this time calls for. This recipe title might be a bit confusing to those who know that spatchcocking is simply referring to the way the chicken is cut open.

However, instead of popping it straight into an oven. We are cooking it over a grill. The flavor of grilled chicken is combined with a blend of fresh herbs from the garden and lemon juice. With the use of olive oil, the skin is crisp and perfectly cooked. Once you make this recipe, it is sure to become one of your favorite ways to make a full bird.

Why I love to Make It

In this post, I mentioned summer quite a bit but truth be told spatchcocking a chicken is a hands-down way to cook a whole bird. Not only does it take half the time but I find the chicken to be easier to cut up when ready. When you traditionally bake a chicken the meat underneath the bird is usually picked off for later use.

At least in our home that seems to be the routine way to eat that portion of the bird. However, when spatchcocking we seem to have access to the entire bird and all sides of the skin are able to crisp up when cooked. This is whether or not you bake it or make this grilled spatchcock chicken.

What You’ll Need To Make It

1 whole chicken

1/4 cup olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

1 lemon

1 handle of your favorite fresh herbs (I like Italian Parsley and Basil)

Tools You May Need

Kitchen Scissors

Outdoor Grill

Directions

Line the counter top with parchment paper or a kitchen towel to catch the juices.

Begin by ensuring your chicken is defrosted. Clean the chicken and pat dry with a paper towel.

Take your kitchen scissors and begin at the top portion of the bird where the backbone is located. Cut down each side and remove.

Open the chicken and turn it over to where it is breast side up. Using your body weight, press down firmly to flatten the bird.

Salt and pepper each side. Drizzle the olive oil liberally top and bottom of bird.

pouring olive oil onto spatchcock cut chicken

drizzling olive oil on a spatchcock chicken

Heat your grill so that the middle burner is off and the sides are on.

When grilling you want to use indirect heating due to the longer grill time. If you have a two-burner grill or use a charcoal grill, simply place the bird on the side away from the direct flame for a longer cook time. When the grill is about 375°F, place the bird breast side down and cook for approximately 18 minutes.

a spatchcocked chicken cooking on a grill

Either turn on the middle burner or slide the bird onto the flame for 5 more minutes before flipping. Flip the bird over on the off side of the grill to cook with indirect heat for another 20 minutes.

The chicken is done when it has an internal temperature of 160°F and the juices run clear. Remove from the grill and place the chicken breast side up on a serving platter. Garnish with lemon juice and herbs.

woman squeezing lemon on a spatchcock chicken

Cooking Notes

For easy clean up, be sure to place a piece of parchment paper underneath the chicken before cutting.
Wash and pat your chicken dry with paper towels. This allows the olive oil to best be distributed without the interference of water.
Use herbs like parsley, basil, dill, chives, rosemary (finely chopped)
You might notice that I left the back bone in after cutting. If you caught that you are observant. I leave the backbone in for making stock later. I just cut down one side to open the bird. Then, just like with any other meat with bones, I save the carcass for bone broth later. To store your carcass, pick the chicken off and place the carcass into a gallon sized freezer bag. Then pop it into your freezer for later.
To know if a chicken is ready, the juices will run clear when cut open at a joint area like between the leg and breast. Chicken should be at a temperature of 180℉.
Store the leftovers in a Tupperware or air tight container in the fridge.

Serving Suggestions

A few good options for serving alongside this dish is my Simple Tomato Confit, adding to the theme of the freshness and herbs of the grilled spatchcock chicken. Another great one to try is my Roasted Asparagus which is lightly seasoned and simple to pop into an oven or cook on a baking sheet on the grill while your chicken rests. Either way, you can’t go wrong.
But don’t forget the dessert! Since I often make this grilled spatchcock chicken when entertaining in the summer, a specific dessert comes to mind when writing this. My recipe for Fresh Strawberry Pie is a beautiful wholeberry pie that is fun to place on the summer table. It is as lovely as it is delicious.

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Olive Oil Dispenser

Pepper Grinder

Kitchen Scissors

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If you try this recipe and love it, I would love it if you would come back and give it 5 stars!

Yield: 4