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roasted spatchcock chicken in a white baking dish sitting on a blue and white striped napkin
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4.67 from 3 votes

Oven Roasted Spatchcock Chicken

This easy Oven Roasted Spatchcock Chicken will impress your friends and family, and you never need to tell them how simple it actually was to prepare
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: lemon, thyme, recipe, butterfly, flatten, oven
Servings: 6 Servings
Calories: 368kcal
Author: Lisa Johnson

Ingredients

  • 4 pound whole chicken
  • 3 bulbs garlic cut in half horizontally
  • 2 large lemons cut into 3/4-inch thick rounds - or 3 medium lemons
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 Tablespoon lemon pepper
  • 8 sprigs fresh thyme

Instructions

HOW TO SPATCHCOCK OR BUTTERFLY A CHICKEN:

  • Place the chicken breast side down on a cutting mat, with the drumsticks pointing towards you.
  • Using sharp kitchen scissors or boning knife, but closely along each side of the backbone.
  • Remove and discard the backbone. I also removed the tiny bones/ribs that were attached to the backbone.
  • Flip the chicken over, breast side up, and press down firmly on the breastbone to flatten.

HOW TO MAKE OVEN ROASTED SPATCHCOCK CHICKEN:

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  • Line the bottom of a baking dish (mine is 10 x 12) with halved garlic bulbs and lemon slices.
  • Drizzle olive oil over the chicken and garlic. Sprinkle with lemon pepper and rub to thoroughly coat the chicken.
  • Top with thyme sprigs and place in the oven.
  • Roast chicken for 40 to 50 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through. (165 degrees in the thigh)
  • Allow chicken to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

  • For a cleaner presentation, tuck the wing tips under the chicken.
  • Store leftover chicken in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
  • If you do not have lemon pepper, substitute sea salt, ground black pepper and fresh lemon zest.

Nutrition

Calories: 368kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 108mg | Sodium: 102mg | Potassium: 345mg | Fiber: 1g | Vitamin A: 265IU | Vitamin C: 23.7mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 1.9mg