This Herb-Roasted Spatchcock Chicken is a weeknight dinner miracle! It’s easy to make and is so flavorful. If you take anything away from this post: please always spatchcock your chicken! Doing so ensures even cooking, no dry meat, and cuts the cook time in half!
“This is my second time making this recipe and it will definitely be a staple in our house. The prep is so easy and the flavor/tenderness from the chicken is amazing. I love the way the skin gets an even crispiness to it from the spatchcock as well. Highly recommend giving this one a try!” – Scott (So Much Food reader)
Table of contents
I Always Spatchcock a Chicken Before Roasting Now!
Unfamiliar with spatchcocking? It’s a fancy term for a very simple cooking method. The backbone of the chicken is removed prior to cooking using a good pair of kitchen shears. Doing so causes the bird to lay flat and thus everything cooks at the same rate!
Here’s why else I much prefer cooking a spatchcock chicken in the oven:
- Faster cooking. In a 425ºF oven, a whole chicken takes an hour and a half to cook to the proper internal temperature. A spatchcocked chicken takes just 40 minutes. That’s less than half the time!
- Even cooking. With the bird laid out flat, everything cooks at the same speed. Say goodbye to dry chicken breasts, folks!
- More flavor. It’s much easier to season every nook and cranny of the chicken, hence a more flavorful end product.
When roasted properly, a spatchcock chicken winds up being super tender and juicy with extra crispy skin. It’s hands down THE BEST way to roast a whole chicken, and it’s the only method I use now!
The Key Ingredients You’ll Need
You can find the full list of ingredients, quantities & method in the recipe card at the end of the page.
- 4-5 lb. chicken. I always buy mine from my local butcher, but a high-quality bird from the grocery store works great too.
- Kosher salt. The chicken is dry-brined using just kosher salt. A dry brine is great for weeknight cooking because it creates less mess and takes up less space than a wet brine, gives way better flavor, and yields crispy skin (just to name a few).
- Aluminum-free baking powder. I actually go a step further in this dry brine and add baking powder! I know that sounds insane, but it’s only a tiny amount and you will not taste it. The slightly alkaline mixture raises the skin’s pH levels, which allows proteins to break down more efficiently, giving you crisper, more evenly browned results.
- Garlic herb butter. Softened butter is mixed with minced garlic and a blend of fresh herbs, then slathered all over the chicken to lock in moisture and flavor. If using dried herbs, use 1/3 the amount that the recipe calls for.
Jenny’s Tip: Do NOT substitute the baking powder with baking soda! Baking soda will give off a very unpleasant metallic taste.
Recommended Equipment
How to Spatchcock a Chicken for Roasting (+ Video Tutorial)
Jenny’s Tip: Invest in quality kitchen shears! This is the pair of poultry shears I have and I love them! They cut through skin and bone with no issues and don’t slip in my hands when I’m trying to make tough cuts. Do you need to use shears? No… but your life will be much easier if you do.
- Place the chicken on a large cutting board and pat the chicken dry with paper towels.
- Arrange the chicken breast-side down on the cutting board with the legs facing towards you.
- Using kitchen shears, cut along one side of the chicken spine, separating it from the ribs. Be sure to cut as close to the spine as you can so that you do not end up discarding any more of the chicken meat than necessary. Repeat on the other side of the spine.
- Flip the chicken so that the breasts face upward and the chicken legs face outward. Using the palm of your hands, press along the breast bone. You might hear a small crack. This should flatten the chicken completely.
How to Roast a Spatchcock Chicken in 4 Steps
- First, spatchcock that bird! I’ve given detailed instructions in the recipe card below. I also linked a video tutorial in the section above, in case you’re a visual learner like me!
- Dry brine the chicken for at least 8 hours. Rub the chicken all over with a blend of kosher salt, black pepper, and baking powder. Don’t cover the chicken as it brines in the fridge; you want the skin to dry out so it becomes super crispy once roasted.
- Rub with garlic herb butter. Set your butter out so it comes to room temperature for easy spreading. I used fresh herbs for my spatchcock roast chicken, but dried may be substituted in a pinch.
- Roast until the thickest part is 160ºF. A brief rest after coming out of the oven will bring the chicken up to a safe-to-consume temperature of 165ºF.
My Favorite Side Dishes for Roast Chicken
This dry brined spatchcock chicken absolutely steals the show, but what’s a dinner without sides? Here are some of my faves to pair with the ultra crispy chicken:
If you do give this recipe a try, I love hearing about it! Leave a comment with a star rating below. Be sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter and never miss a new recipe! You can also snap a photo & tag @JENNYGOYCOCHEA on Instagram.
More Recipes to Make with a Whole Chicken
- Beer Can Chicken
- Dutch Oven Roast Chicken
- Pollo Asado (Mexican Grilled Chicken)
- Whole Chicken Orzo Soup
- Roasted Chicken Piccata
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Herb-Roasted Spatchcock Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
Chicken and Dry Brine
- 4-5 lb whole chicken
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder (optional, see notes above)
Garlic Herb Butter
- 4 tablespoons salted butter, at room temperature (1/2 stick)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
Instructions
- Spatchcock the chicken. Place the chicken on a large cutting board and pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Arrange the chicken breast-side down on the cutting board with the legs facing towards you. Using good-quality kitchen shears, cut along one side of the chicken spine, separating it from the ribs. Be sure to cut as close to the spine as you can so that you do not end up discarding any more of the chicken meat than necessary. Repeat on the other side of the spine.Flip the chicken so that the breasts face upward and the chicken legs face outward. Using the palm of your hands, press along the breast bone. You might hear a small crack. This should flatten the chicken completely.
- Dry brine the chicken. In a small bowl, mix together the kosher salt, pepper, and baking powder. Place your chicken on a rimmed baking sheet or in a large baking dish. Gently pull the skin away from the meat to create a little space between the skin and meat. Sprinkle the dry brine liberally all over the chicken, including under the skin and on the underside. Gently rub the salt mixture into the meat until it's well coated. Transfer to the refrigerator uncovered for 8-12 hours (up to 24).
- Preheat an oven to 425ºF.
- Rub the chicken with garlic herb butter. In a small bowl, mix together the softened butter and herbs until well combined. Remove the chicken from the fridge and spread the butter all over the chicken, including under the skin. Make sure it's well coated!
- Roast. Transfer the chicken to a large skillet or a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil. Roast for 45-55 minutes, or until the thickest part of the chicken thigh registers at 160ºF on a meat thermometer. Change the oven setting to broil and broil for 3-5 minutes for extra golden brown skin. Remove from the oven and rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving.
Rate & Review This Recipe
Thank you so much for your kind words! I also sometimes use dried herbs when I’m in a pinch, but highly recommend trying with fresh next time because the flavor is SO GOOD