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Spatchcocking a chicken is a method of getting a roasted chicken from your oven to your dinner table as fast as possible. This method makes an incredibly juicy chicken by enabling the breasts and thighs to cook at the same rate-no dry chicken parts here! Find a full video tutorial here.

To spatchcock a chicken you simply remove the backbone. Use a good strong pair of kitchen shears and cut along one side of the spine and then the other and then just set it aside.

By removing the backbone of the chicken, it allows the chicken to lay flat. This makes the cooking quicker and more even. I am not exaggerating when I say doing this has cut my chicken roasting time in half! A chicken that would take me at least an hour to roast was ready in 30 minutes.

Once the backbone is removed, flip the chicken over and push down on the top of the breastbone until you hear a crack. This will help it lay a little more flat.

Now your chicken is ready for seasoning! My holy grail seasoning is a mixture of garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, dried parsley, and of course, salt and freshly cracked black pepper.

Place a few slices of butter on the chicken to help the skin develop color and prevent the spices for burning.

Once your oven is preheated, place your chickens in a roasting pan in the oven for 30 minutes. After the allotted time, check the temperature of your chicken by inserting a thermometer into the thickest part of your chicken thigh without touching the bone.

If the temperature reaches 165°, it’s ready! If not, roast for an addition 5-10 minute increments until temperature is reached.

Once the chicken is roasted you can serve it any way you like! Some options are adding veggies to the roasting pan before cooking to make a roast chicken dinner. Another option is to serve it over mashed potatoes and use the juices from the kitchen to make a gravy. I used it to make “Marry Me Chicken and Pasta” which I will be sharing a recipe for next!

Sometimes (like today) I prep and roast two chickens at once and eat one for dinner that night while saving the second one to serve a different way the next night! Here’s how we had our second chicken:

Ingredients

• 1 4-5 lb chicken
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp dried parsley flakes
• Salt and black pepper
• 3 tbsp butter

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 475°

2. Wash and dry your chicken. Then, using a good pair of chicken shears, cut along on side of the backbone of the chicken. Then cut along the other side until the backbone is completely separated and remove

3. Flip chicken with the skin side up and press down on the top of the breastbone till you hear a crack to flatten

4. Tuck chicken wings behind the breast to prevent tips from burning

5. Sprinkle chicken with spice mix and massage in. Then place chicken on a roasting pan skin side up and roast for 30 minutes or until thermometer inserted into thigh (without touching bone) reaches 165°

6. Let chicken rest and cool slightly before serving and enjoy!