Roast a bird in half the time with this recipe for spatchcock chicken baked in the oven, with garlic, lemon and rosemary.

A spatchcocked (butterflied without backbone) chicken on a cutting board, garnished with a lemon wedge and parsley sprigs

Before you start thinking that I’m going all medieval on my poultry, let me explain what it means to spatchcock a chicken:

What does “spatchcock” mean?

  • To spatchcock a bird means that the backbone (and sometimes the breastbone cartilage) is removed from a chicken (or other poultry) and laid out flat —otherwise known as a butterflied bird.
  • A spatchcocked cooks more quickly and more evenly because the surface of the bird lies flat on the pan or grill.
  • Food historians guess the word “spatchcock” derives from an abbreviation of the phrase “dispatch the cock,” and might have originated in Ireland.

This is such a great way to roast a whole bird since you can season it well under AND over the skin with aromatic fresh herbs, lemon and garlic. Plus, using this method means the chicken cooks faster and more evenly than it would in its usual form.

How to spatchcock a chicken (remove the backbone or butterfly)

All you need is a whole chicken and good pair of kitchen shears or a sharp knife!

  1. Put the chicken on a cutting board, breast side down.
  2. Cut along the backbone on either side with a pair of scissors or a sharp knife.
  3. Remove the bone and discard, or save it to add to homemade chicken stock

Or, to make things even easier, you can always ask the professional person behind the meat counter to do the dirty work for you!

  • How to spatchcock a chicken for roasting - remove the backbone
    Cut along the backbone with a pair of kitchen shears.
  • Spatchcocked - or butterflied - chicken ready for roasting
    Open the chicken like a book to lay it flat.

Besides cooking faster and evenly, butterflying your bird allows better access to the skin pockets, which means you can push more seasonings onto the bird. That means more tasty chicken, too!

An image of a golden brown roasted butterflied chicken on a cutting board with wedges of lemon and rosemary herb sprigs.

While the oven is on, it’s a perfect time to slide a pan of vegetables alongside the roasting chicken to complete the meal, like these crazy-delicious crusty smashed potatoes or roasted cumin-lime carrots.

5 from 5 ratings

Spatchcock Roasted Chicken with Lemon and Rosemary

Karen Tedesco
An easy recipe for simple roasted spatchcock chicken with lemon and rosemary.
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Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients
 

  • 1 whole chicken (about 3 pounds), backbone removed
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon Diamond kosher salt, or 2 teaspoons Morton brand salt, or 1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1 garlic clove, grated or finely chopped
  • 1 lemon

Instructions
 

  1. Heat your oven to 425 degrees.
  2. Tuck the chicken's wing tips behind the breast bone and place it skin side up on a shallow rimmed sheet pan.
  3. Mix together the olive oil, salt, rosemary, and garlic in a small bowl. Carefully separate the skin from the breast meat with your fingers, and smear half the mixture over the meat and skin. Flip the bird over and rub it with the rest of the seasoning.
  4. Place a large ovenproof skillet (such as cast iron) over medium-high heat until very hot. Coat the pan with a little oil.
  5. Put the chicken in the pan skin side down and place another heavy skillet on top of the chicken to weigh it down. If you don’t have another heavy pan, use a skillet weighed down with a can or two of tomatoes.
  6. Cook 10-2 minutes, until the skin is dark golden brown.
  7. Remove the weight, then gently turn the chicken over with tongs, so you don’t tear into the delicious, crisp skin. Slice the lemon in half and place it flesh side down in the pan.
  8. Transfer to the oven to finish cooking, about 20 more minutes. The legs should wiggle freely and the juices run clear. Cool the chicken 15 minutes. Carve the chicken into pieces and serve.

Notes

To remove the backbone from a chicken:
  1. Put the chicken on a cutting board, breast side down.
  2. Cut along the backbone on either side with a pair of scissors or a sharp knife.
  3. Remove the bone and discard, or save it to add to homemade chicken stock

Nutrition per serving

Serving: 1g Calories: 881kcal Carbohydrates: 2g Protein: 93g Fat: 53g Sodium: 675mg Fiber: 1g Sugar: 1g

Nutrition facts are calculated by third-party software. If you have specific dietary needs, please refer to your favorite calculator.

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