My BBQ Spatchcocked Chicken recipe makes perfectly roasted, tender chicken that is so easy to slice and serve. Not to mention that the marinade is so flavoursome and delicious. This is a recipe that the whole family will love.
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I started spatchcocking whole chicken recently and I have to say, it is my favourite way to roast a chicken! The chicken roasts much more evenly and takes much less time than traditionally roasted chicken. In this post, I’m going to walk you through how to spatchcock a chicken, step-by-step.
Ingredients Notes & Substitutions
Below is a list of all of the simple ingredients you will need to make this recipe as well as any ingredient notes and possible substitutions.
- whole chicken – you can go for any sized chicken but for this recipe I have recommended a 1.2kg chicken. If you get a larger chicken you will just need to add more cooking time.
- extra virgin olive oil – you will need olive oil for greasing the pan as well as making the marinade. I adore extra virgin olive oil as it is filled with nutrients and antioxidants and is a very healthy oil to incorporate into your daily diet.
- sea salt flakes – this recipe calls for sea salt flakes. If you have finely ground sea salt use half of what is called for.
- ground paprika
- onion powder
- garlic powder
- cracked black pepper – use to taste.
I love this barbecue style marinade, however you can really season the chicken however you prefer. You can try a herb marinade with fresh herbs like thyme and rosemary
How to Make BBQ Spatchcocked Chicken (Butterflied Chicken)
If you haven’t heard of a spatchcocked chicken, you may have heard of a butterflying chicken. Well, it’s the same thing! Essentially what you are doing is removing the back bone so that the chicken can lie flat. This helps it to cook much more evenly and quickly then a traditional roasted chicken. Follow my easy step-by-step guide to make the perfect spatchcocked chicken.
Equipment Needed
- kitchen shears
- paper towel
- large baking dish, sheet pan or roasting pan
How to Spatchcock a Chicken
1. Remove the backbone.
Remove the chicken from the packet and tip any juices into the sink. There will be juices inside the chicken so I like to hold the chicken open over the sink to get as much out as possible. Place the chicken onto the chopping board breast side down. Use kitchen shears to cut along either side of the backbone, cutting through the bones. Make sure your fingers are out of the way of the shears! Discard of the backbone. Remove any remaining innards and discard of them. Use paper towel to wipe down inside the chicken.
2. Break the wishbone.
Flip the chicken over, chicken breast side up. Use clean paper towel to pat dry the whole chicken. Place the palm of your hand on the chicken, where the wishbone is and press down hard to break.
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3. Marinade the chicken.
To make the sauce, add the olive oil, paprika, salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder to a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Place the chicken in the bowl and use clean hands to rub the whole surface of the chicken in marinade.
4. Roast the chicken.
Place the chicken, breast side (skin side) up, in a large greased baking dish. Place into the oven and roast for 40 minutes. Pull the chicken out and test to see if it is cooked. Either pierce the leg and push down next to the piercing so the juices run out. If the juices that run out are clear, the chicken is cooked. If they are bloody or pink then the chicken needs more time. Alternatively, if you have a meat thermometer you can test the internal temperature of the thigh (or the thickest part of the chicken). If it has reached 75°C then it is cooked. If you find the chicken isn’t cooked, using either of these testing methods, then return to the oven for a further 10 minutes.
5. Serve.
Once roasted, let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before slicing so that the juices can redistribute, leaving you with juicy, tender chicken. Transfer to a cutting board and slice between the thigh and the breast on both sides and then slice off the breasts, leaving you with 4 pieces of chicken.
Storage
Store any leftover chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat before eating. Store the leftover chicken carcass in the freezer for up to 12 months. The leftover chicken carcass can be used to make chicken stock.
Serving Suggestions
Serve the BBQ Spatchcocked Chicken with any of your favourite sides or salads. Below are some of my favourites.
- Maple Roasted Dutch Carrots
- Roasted Butternut Squash Salad
- Honey Cumin Roasted Carrot Salad
- Golden Roasted Cauliflower Salad
- Crispy Smashed Potatoes
- In a pasta salad
- With your favourite steamed vegetables
BBQ Spatchcocked Chicken
Equipment
- kitchen shears
- Chopping Board
- Whisk
- Large Baking Dish
Ingredients
- 1.2 kg whole chicken
Paprika Marinade
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp sea salt flakes
- Cracked black pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Add the onion powder, garlic powder, sweet paprika, sea salt, cracked black pepper and olive oil to a large mixing bowl and stir to combine.
- To prepare the chicken, flip the chicken over so that it is breast side down. Use kitchen shears to cut through either side of the backbone. Remove the backbone and any remaining innards. Turn the chicken over and press down on the wishbone to break. Pat the whole chicken dry with clean paper towels and place the chicken into the bowl with the marinade. Use clean hands to coat the entire chicken in the marinade, cover and refrigerate for around 1 hour. The longer the chicken can marinade the better, though if you don’t have time for the chicken to marinade then that is ok to! Just chuck it straight into the oven.
- To roast, preheat the oven to 200°C. Grease a large baking dish with olive oil and lay the chicken flat in the baking dish. Roast for 40 minutes or until the juices run clear when the thigh is pierced or until the internal temperature of the thigh reaches 75°C. If the juices don’t run clear or the internal temperature isn’t 75°C, then place it back into the oven to roast for another 10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
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