When’s the last time you bought a whole chicken? I don’t know why, but so many people I know are terrified to roast a whole chicken and instead opt for pieces already broken down by their butcher.
Roasting a whole chicken can be challenging because it is difficult to get the dark meat cooked while still keeping the breasts from drying out. Spatchcocking, or butterflying, is the fast solution to this since you exposing the dark meat to higher heat. You also cut down on cooking time. Most importantly, you will have superbly crispy skin. The kind that elicits endless compliments and makes your guests feel like you prepared something really special — when in reality it is all a rouse and this took you no time at all.
Well, friends, I am here to tell you that you are missing out. Roasting a whole chicken is one of my favorite ways to pull together a quick meal, prep some protein for quick lunches throughout the week, or pre-cook chicken for multiple meals throughout the week.
Once you do it once you’ll see that it is INCREDIBLY simple.
How I’m Serving This
- Roasted with vegetables and served with a starch to entertain. Everyone will be incredibly impressed with your crispy skinned chicken. It will be a show-stopper and you’ll know that took you roughly 5 minutes to prep (10 if we include the vegetables).
- Cooking and then pulling the meat off the bone for soups, stews or salads throughout the week
- Breaking the cooked chicken into pieces and being able to pull out one piece of chicken as needed all week. BONUS — Cook ahead, store in pieces in the fridge and take with you for picnics, boat days, or summer adventures.
- Shredding and freezing so that you are able to throw some pre-cooked chicken into a meal on a whim. This is great for last minute enchiladas, this chicken tortilla soup, a quick summer sandwich to throw in your bag before a day of adventure.
Honestly, sometimes I cook two chickens at once. I will roast one for that week and the other to shred and freeze.
I am pulling together an entire post about different flavor combos, so here are just a few favorites. I like to keep it simple and just drizzle the chicken with salt, pepper and either olive oil or avocado oil. If you are using this as a dinner party show stopper try one of these combos in addition to the basic S+P+Oil
Favorite Seasonings
- ITALIAN — Basil, Oregano, Rosemary, Garlic
- LEMON – Rub down with 4 cloves Garlic, juice of 1 Lemon, 2 tsp Rosemary, Sliced Onions underneath chicken, lemon slices on top optional.
- MOROCCAN – 1tbsp honey
, 2 tsp each of cumin, turmeric, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 4 garlic cloves, sliced onion underneath the chicken
- GREEK – Za’tar, Roasted Garlic
How to Spatchcock Your Chicken
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
Remove the chicken from its packaging. Be sure to remove any of the innards by reaching inside the cavity and removing anything inside.
Above is the chicken with the breast side up on a baking sheet.
That’s better. Breast side is down and we are able to remove the backbone.
Look for that tail section on the bottom of the chicken. Start cutting on one side of that straight up the back of the chicken. This is going to require a little muscle as you are going to be cutting through bone.
Once you have cut up one side, start again at the bottom on the other side of the backbone. Cut all the way up the back of the chicken.
Discard the backbone.
Flip the chicken over so the breast side is up again.
Place your hand flat ontop of the breasts and press down to adjust the bird so that it lays flat.
Salt and Pepper. Drizzle your oil. Sprinkle your seasonings.
Place the entire tray in the oven.
Roast for 40-45 minutes. Insert your instant-read thermometer into the center of the breast and cook until the thermometer reads 150 degrees.
With that, my friends, dinner is served!
Tools I Used
  |   |   |   |   |
If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #theeternalhostess on Instagram.
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken
- olive oil
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
- Remove the chicken from its packaging. Be sure to remove any of the innards by reaching inside the cavity and removing anything inside.
- Cut out the backbone using kitchen shears. Discard backbone.
- Flip the chicken over so the breast side is up again. Place your hand flat ontop of the breasts and press down to adjust the bird so that it lays flat. Salt and Pepper. Drizzle your oil. Sprinkle your seasonings.
- Put entire sheet pan with chicken in the preheated oven. Roast for 40-45 minutes. Insert your instant-read thermometer into the center of the breast and cook until the thermometer reads 150 degrees.
