Oven-Roasted Lemon Herb Spatchcock Chicken is flavored with fresh herbs and lemon. Spatchcocking a chicken is easy to do and allows the chicken to roast quickly. An impressive and easy chicken recipe.
A spatchcock chicken is an easy way to cook a whole chicken in less time.
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Have you noticed the photos of whole chickens that look like they are doing yoga? You don't have to feel bad about your lack of flexibility as compared to a chicken!
Those flexible chickens are no more flexible than you. They simply no longer have a backbone and their breastbone has been cracked. Ouch!
The spatchcock chicken is a shortcut method for cooking a whole chicken and it's quite easy to do using kitchen scissors.
Simply cut along both sides of the chicken's backbone, flip it over and press down in the center on the breastbone until you hear a crack and that's it.
Easy to do and easy to impress everyone when you bring your fancy chicken to the table, especially when your chicken is flavored with fresh herbs and lemon!
So get out your kitchen scissors and get ready to make a Spatchocok Chicken.
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How to make a spatchcock chicken
Scroll down for the full recipe instructions and ingredient amounts in the recipe card below
- Preheat oven to 425F. Arrange lemon slices and stems of fresh herbs in center of a baking sheet with sides.
- Place chicken on cutting board, breast side down and tail up. Using kitchen scissors, cut along both sides of backbone and discard.
- Turn chicken over and press down in center of the breastbone until you hear a slight crack.
- Place chicken, cut side down, on top of lemon and herb “bed”.
- In bowl combine butter, parsley, rosemary, oregano, lemon zest, garlic, kosher salt and cracked black pepper. Reserve 1 Tablespoon of herb butter.
- Gently loosen skin on chicken. Spread remaining herb butter under skin.
- Spread reserved 1 Tablespoon herb butter over skin.
- Roast 30 minutes or until juices run clear and an instant read thermometer registers 165F.
Swirls of Flavor Recipe Tips
- Be sure to use sharp kitchen scissors when preparing your chicken
- You can prepare the chicken ahead, even seasoning it with the herb butter. Refrigerate until ready to begin cooking. Then let the chicken come to room temperature and follow the recipe directions.
- Spatchcock chicken grilled is also a delicious way to cook your chicken dinner.
Substitutions
- You can use fresh thyme instead of fresh oregano
- Fresh marjoram can be substituted for fresh rosemary or fresh oregano
- Lemon can replace lime for a different citrus flavor
Storage
- Store any leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Chicken will stay fresh for 2-3 days.
- Reheat the leftover chicken in the microwave or serve it cold on a sandwich, in a tossed salad or make a homemade chicken salad.
- As always, I find it helpful to visit the FDA website for food storage guidelines
Easy chicken recipes
- Nashville Hot Chicken Tenders
- Chicken with Fresh Corn Salsa
- Pesto Chicken
- Air Fryer Rotisserie Chicken
Ingredients
Spatchcock chicken ingredients:
- lemon
- several stems of fresh herbs
- whole chicken
- butter
- chopped parsley
- fresh rosemary
- fresh oregano
- garlic
- kosher salt
- cracked black pepper
Oven-Roasted Lemon Herb Spatchcock Chicken
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Ingredients
- 1 lemon sliced
- several stems of fresh herbs
- 1 about 5 lbs. whole chicken
- 5 Tablespoons butter ,softened
- 2 Tablespoons chopped parsley
- 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or fresh thyme
- 1 Tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 clove garlic ,minced
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
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Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425F. Arrange lemon slices and stems of fresh herbs in center of a baking sheet with sides.
- Place chicken on cutting board, breast side down and tail up. Using kitchen scissors, cut along both sides of backbone and discard.
- Turn chicken over and press down in center of the breastbone until you hear a slight crack.
- Place chicken, cut side down, on top of lemon and herb “bed”.
- In bowl combine butter, parsley, rosemary, oregano, lemon zest, garlic, kosher salt and cracked black pepper. Reserve 1 Tablespoon of herb butter.
- Gently loosen skin on chicken. Spread remaining herb butter under skin.
- Spread reserved 1 Tablespoon herb butter over skin.
- Roast 30 minutes or until juices run clear and meat thermometer registers 170F.
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