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Roasted spatchcock chicken with a savory lemon-herb gravy will elevate any meal! A simple herb and lemon-infused overnight marinade takes the flavor of this flattened whole chicken to another level. The butterfly technique allows it to cook quickly and crisp up to perfection.
This easy spatchcock chicken recipe is juicy, savory, and full of lemon herb flavor—you won’t believe how easy it is when you use my tips! For a sweet and savory flavor profile, try my maple orange spatchcock chicken.
Table of Contents
What is spatchcock chicken
Spatchcock chicken is a method of preparing a whole chicken by removing the backbone and flattening the bird. This technique is also known as “butterflying.” Cooking a flat chicken in a roasting pan helps the bird cook more evenly with a shorter cooking time.
Spatchcocking cooks the chicken faster and more evenly, keeping the breast juicy and the skin crispy while enhancing flavor with better seasoning coverage.
Ingredients
This recipe for spatchcocked chicken uses minimal pantry staple ingredients to achieve a classic herb and lemon flavor. We will make a simple spatchcock chicken marinade and marinate your butterflied chicken overnight for maximum flavor and tenderness.
Save This Recipe
- Whole organic chicken: To save time, get a chicken with giblets removed. You can even buy a spatchcocked chicken. I recommend a 4-5 lb whole chicken for a family meal.
- Coarse sea salt & ground black pepper
- Grated garlic cloves
- Fresh herbs: Finely chopped rosemary and thyme or poultry herbs always work well with roasted chicken.
- Extra virgin olive oil: Used as a base for the Spatchcock chicken seasoning mix.
- Whole lemon: Used to marinate the chicken.
Lemon herb chicken gravy:
- Chicken drippings: Save the drippings from the roast spatchcocked chicken.
- Cassava flour: Used to thicken the gravy. All-purpose flour or a gluten-free flour blend will also work.
- Chicken stock
- Salt, black pepper, and lemon juice: Used to boost the flavor of the gravy.
How to spatchcock a whole chicken
Making crispy spatchcock chicken begins with flattening or butterflying a whole chicken. Here’s how:
- Prep the Chicken: Remove the giblets from the chicken and pat it dry with paper towels.
- Position the Chicken: Place the chicken breast-side down on a sturdy cutting board.
- Cut Along the Backbone: Use sharp poultry shears to cut along one side of the backbone from the tail to the neck. Repeat on the other side to fully remove the backbone. Save the bones for making your own stock if you like
- Flatten the Chicken: Make a shallow cut in the cartilage at the top of the breastbone. Then, use your hands to gently press down on both sides of the breast to flatten the bird.
How to cook a spatchcock chicken in oven
I love spatchcock chicken recipes. It’s a much quicker way to cook a whole chicken. Here are the simple instructions for prepping and marinating your chicken, plus details on how long to cook a spatchcock chicken in a convection oven vs a regular oven.
- Butterfly the chicken: See detailed instructions above to remove the giblets and backbone of the chicken and then split your whole chicken with a kitchen knife.
- Season the chicken: Mix the salt, pepper, garlic, herbs, and olive oil in a small bowl. Use your hands to apply under and on top of the skin. Drizzle with lemon juice and marinate overnight.
- Bake: Preheat a conventional oven to 425°F (218°C) or a convection oven to 400°F (204°C). Place the bird skin-side up on top of a wire rack over a lined sheet pan. Bake for 30 minutes, rotate, and roast for an additional 20 minutes or until the breast meat reaches 165°F (74°C) and the thigh meat reaches 175°F (80°C). Let it rest for 10 minutes before carving.
- Make the gravy: Add the drippings to a small pot over medium-low heat. Whisk in the flour and slowly add the stock. Reduce heat and simmer until thickened. Season to taste.
How do you know when a spatchcock chicken is done?
Your oven roasted spatchcock chicken is done when the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) at the thickest part of the breast. Use an instant read thermometer to check the temperature to ensure it’s fully cooked and safe to eat.
Serving ideas
This easy sheet pan spatchcock chicken with lemon herb gravy is a delightful main dish addition to any family meal. It’s great with your favorite vegetables, a grain, and soup. Here are some fun and festive pairing suggestions for this comforting cold-weather favorite.
- Veggies/Salads: This roasted cauliflower recipe with lemon tahini sauce is a perfect pairing! Roasted cherry tomatoes with delicata squash or Honey sriracha Brussel sprouts are so good.
- Sides: Keep things light with my simple Napa cabbage slaw. My roasted delicata squash with cinnamon cranberry topping, crispy Whole30 roasted potatoes, or this mashed miso butter sweet potato recipe are perfect for the holidays.
- Soup: For maximum comfort, serve with my Japanese kabocha squash soup with turmeric and ginger, this chunky ham potato soup, or a simple roasted whole butternut squash soup.
ChihYu’s expert tips
- Use Sharp Kitchen Shears: For spatchcocking, sharp kitchen shears are essential. They make it easier to cut through the backbone and avoid unnecessary struggle.
- Marinate Overnight: Marinating the chicken overnight allows the flavors to deeply penetrate the meat, resulting in a more flavorful and juicy roast.
- Season Under the Skin: Gently separate the skin from the meat and season directly under the skin. This helps the herbs and spices infuse directly into the meat.
- Use a Meat Thermometer: To avoid overcooking, use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature. The chicken is perfectly cooked when the breast reaches 165°F (74°C).
- Cover the Wings: If the wings or other parts of the chicken start to brown too quickly, cover them with foil to prevent burning.
- Let it Rest: Allow the chicken to rest for at least 10 minutes after roasting. This helps the juices redistribute, making the meat tender and juicy.
- Save the Drippings: The drippings from the roasted chicken make a delicious base for gravy. Don’t let them go to waste!
FAQs
Cook a spatchcock chicken at 425°F (218°C) in a conventional oven or 400°F (204°C) in a convection oven. These temperatures ensure the chicken cooks evenly with a crispy skin and juicy interior.
No, you don’t need to flip a spatchcock chicken during cooking. Flattened chicken cooks evenly with the skin side up, allowing the skin to get crispy and golden brown.
When roasting a split whole chicken, place the spatchcock chicken breast side up. This allows the skin to crisp up beautifully while the meat cooks evenly.
A 4-5 lb whole chicken is ideal for spatchcocking so it’s what we use in this recipe for butterfly chicken. It’s large enough to feed a family but still manageable to handle and cook.
More roasted chicken recipes you might like
If you enjoy this simple lemon-herb baked spatchcock chicken, please check out some of my other roasted chicken recipes!
- Dutch oven roasted whole chicken with red curry and fresh herbs is a gamechanger for the holidays! Asian-inspired and made with a Dutch oven, it’s so succulent and delicious.
- Air fryer whole chicken is seasoned with a garlic herb spice rub and cooked in the air fryer for ease and the perfect golden crispy skin.
- Baked chicken leg quarters are Paleo, Whole30, and keto, and this lemony Japanese-inspired recipe is great for roasting, grilling, or barbecuing.
Herb-Roasted Spatchcock Chicken Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 4-5 lbs whole chicken for roasting giblets removed
- 1.5 tbsp coarse sea salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp grated garlic cloves about 3 large cloves
- ⅔ cup fresh herbs finely chopped, rosemary and thyme or any poultry seasoning fresh herbs
- 4-6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 whole lemon
Lemon Herb Chicken Gravy:
- 2 tbsp chicken dripping from the roasted chicken above
- 2 tbsp cassava flour or all purpose flour, gluten-free flour
- 1.5 cups chicken stock low sodium
- ½ tsp coarse sea salt or to taste
- ¼ tsp black pepper or to taste
- 1 whole lemon juice or to taste
Instructions
Butterfly the chicken:
- Remove the chicken giblets. Gently pat it dry with a clean paper towel. Place the whole chicken breast side down over a secured large cutting board. Use a pair of kitchen shears to cut down each side of the back bone (i.e.spine) from the cavity up to the neck. Save the backbone for later use (p.s. great for chicken stock). Make a shallow incision cut in the cartilage on the back of the breast bone and use your hands to gently press both sides down to flatten the bird.
Season the chicken:
- Mix well salt, pepper, garlic, herbs, and olive oil in one bowl. Flip the bird (skin side up) and use your fingers to gently separate the skins from the meat to create small pockets. Be careful not to tear the skin. Tuck the wings behind the breast. Stuff the herb mixture under the skin and use your hands to gently spread the herbs as evenly as you can. Make sure to season the outer interior and the back of the bird. Drizzle with half of one whole lemon juice.
- Marinate overnight in a large flat container, breast side down to soak up more juice flavor.
Bake:
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C) for conventional oven or 400°F (204°C) for convection oven. Place the bird (skin side up) on top of a wire rack over a large sheet pan, lined with parchment paper. Bake for 30 minutes. Rotate the sheet pan and loosely cover the wings and any other spots that get brown too quickly with foil paper so they won’t get burnt.
- Roast for an additional 20 minutes or until the breast meat reaches 165°F (74°C) and the thigh meat reaches 175°F(80°C) when using a meat thermometer.
- Remove from the oven. Let the bird rest for 10 minutes before carving.
Lemon herb chicken gravy:
- In a saucepan over medium-low heat, add chicken dripping from the sheet pan. Whisk in flour until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in chicken stock. Reduce heat to low. Bring gravy to a simmer, stir often and simmer until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 3-4 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice to taste. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a gravy boat.
Notes
- Storage: The chicken will keep for 3-4 days in the fridge. Store it in an airtight container to maintain its freshness.
- Freeze: For longer storage, shred the chicken first and freeze it for up to 2 months. Make sure to use freezer-safe bags or containers to prevent freezer burn.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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This was my first splachcock chicken. I used herbs from my garden ( tarragon, rosemary, basil and thyme) and less salt and oil than the recipe called for. Results were terrific. My chicken was raised by my stepdaughter and was probably larger than 5 pounds. While done it may have benefited from a few more minutes.
Cutting out the backbone was more difficult than it sounds.
That’s awesome!
Can breasts and/or thighs only be used instead of the whole chicken? Would any step be different if yes?
Hi Denise, the steps will be the same. The only thing I recommend is to use thighs and legs with skin on and bone-in so the chicken will remain moist and tender after roasted. 🙂
This recipe seems delicious, but I was wondering if instead of a whole chicken I could use breasts or thighs instead? If yes, would any of the steps change?
The steps will be the same. The only thing I recommend is to use thighs and legs with skin on and bone-in so the chicken will remain moist and tender after roasted. 🙂
Delicious with Herbes de Provence, too.