Spatchcock Roast Chicken

Of all the techniques for preparing chicken I learned in culinary school, spatchcocking is the one I return to the most. Sure, it’s great to know how to break down a whole chicken, but nothing compares to the satisfaction that spatchcocking provides. Luckily, you don’t need a culinary school degree to spatchcock.

The process is simple — remove the chicken’s backbone and then flatten the bird — and immensely rewarding. Spatchcocked chickens roast faster, are easier to coat with flavorful dry rub, and yield lots of crispy skin (arguably the best part of a roast chicken).

Here’s a step-by-step guide to to spatchcocking a chicken, plus a super-simple recipe for roasting it, too.

Spatchcocking is the process of removing the backbone of a chicken or turkey (or any other bird you’re cooking) so it lies flat. It’s also called butterflying, since the bird is split down the middle and opened up like the wings of a butterfly.

• Spatchcocking requires little more than a raw chicken and a sturdy pair of scissors. After patting the chicken dry with a paper towel, position the chicken breast-side down and remove the backbone by cutting down either side of it. With a good pair of shears, you should have no problem cutting through, but you might need to use a little extra muscle when you get to the thigh-to-backbone connection.
• Once the backbone is removed, you can flip over the bird and flatten it. You can use two hands to press directly down on the breast of the chicken (skin-side up), but I also learned from my friend and chicken cookbook author Stacie Billis that if you cut two small slits on either side of the breast bones, the chicken will get even flatter. And a flatter chicken will cook faster!
• After butterflying, follow the roasting directions below. You can also cook it over indirect heat in a grill or in a smoker. As for that backbone, stash it in the freezer to use in a future batch of stock.

• It cooks faster. This technique is used a lot in grilling and when roasting large poultry like turkeys because spatchcocking helps large birds cook faster.
• It makes the skin extra crispy. Roasting the butterflied chicken on a metal rack helps the oven’s hot air cook the chicken from all sides and makes the skin extra crispy.

For spatchcocking, you’ll need a pair of sturdy kitchen shears that are easy to clean. Kitchn’s Tools Editor Riddley recommends J.A. Henckels shears. “I love the price point and the quality,” she says. “They’re very sharp and can also be taken apart, plus they’re dishwasher-safe”. Here are all the tools you’ll need to spatchcock a chicken.

• Cutting board
• Chef’s knife
• Kitchen shears
• Measuring spoons
• Paper towels
• Oven-safe wire rack
• Rimmed baking sheet

1. Heat the oven. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 425ºF. Arrange the sliced lemons and garlic (if using) in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Fit an oven-safe wire rack onto the baking sheet, over the lemons and garlic.
2. Prepare the chicken for spatchcocking. Position the chicken breast-side up on a cutting board. Check for and remove the giblets and neck bone from the cavity of the chicken. Tuck the wing tips behind the chicken’s shoulder by gently folding them towards the neck cavity and then behind the chicken. Pat dry with paper towels to make it easier to move and spatchcock.
3. Cut the back bone from the chicken. Flip the chicken over so it is breast-side down. Use kitchen shears to cut out the back bone: Starting from the tail end of the chicken, cut along one side of the back bone, then repeat on the other side to remove the backbone. Keep the cuts as close to the spine as possible — this may require a little more pressure above the thigh bone.
4. Cut into the breast plate to make flattening easier. Position the chicken so the legs are away from you. Cut a notch into the breast bone: Use a knife to make a V with two cuts along the neck opening, between the ribs.
5. Flatten the breast plate. Flip the chicken so it is now breast-side up. Use the heel of your hands to press down on the breast bone to flatten the chicken. You may hear a crack as you press.
6. Season the chicken. Coat the chicken with olive oil and season with kosher salt. Place the chicken skin-side up on the rack.
7. Roast the chicken. Roast until the chicken is cooked through and registers 165ºF in the thickest part of the thigh, 40 to 45 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before carving and serving.

You can use any of your favorite recipes for roasted whole chicken, but just remember that the chicken will cook faster. Here, we’ve provided instructions for an easy roast chicken, which cooks in about 40 to 45 minutes in a 425°F oven.

• Mayo Roast Chicken
• Grilled Spatchcocked Chicken
• Lemon-Sumac Roasted Chicken
• Chicken with Potatoes, Artichokes, and Olives
• 30-Minute Spatchcock Chicken and Vegetables

You can spatchcock the chicken up to 3 days in advance. Refrigerate tightly wrapped in plastic wrap.

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