Roasted Spatchcocked Chicken

I've always prefer roasting a whole chicken, stuffed - I love stuffing, but when trying to keep carbs low, that isn't a good option.  I found this gorgeous 7# chicken for only $5.25 (yes, 75¢ / pound) and new once roasted, this would make a lot of great chicken dishes.  If you're not familiar how to do this, I found a YouTube video that's clear and concise.  The previous time I did this, I followed the instructions exactly.  This time I only made one cut, right down the center of the backbone, since I wanted to keep that long piece with very little meat with the rest.

The photos, from left to right, shows the chicken right out of the packaging - washed inside and out and dried well.  The second after spatchcocking, the third is flipped, seasoned, and ready to go in the oven, preheated to 400⁰F for 30 minutes with the pan uncovered.  Keep the door shut during those first 30 minutes, no peeking, poking or basting!  Season your chicken however you'd like.  Today I drizzled mine well, with rosemary infused EVOO, then sprinkled it generously with the seasonings shown and my Rosemary Seasoning.

After the 30 minute sizzle time, poke in a few places and baste. Return to the oven and drop the heat to 350⁰ for another 40 minutes. Check for doneness. It should reach an internal temperature of 165⁰ with a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest meat, either the thigh or breast.

Another reliable method is to poke those areas with a fork. If the fork pulls out easily, it's done. Spatchcocked, and spread out like this, it will cook quicker than a whole compact bird. If these directions seem backwards to you. . .they are!


I've found I like the idea of getting the skin all crispy and sizzling first. It totally scents my kitchen. By the end, if it hasn't retained the crispiness, you can always baste it, then bump the temp back to 400⁰ for the last 15 minutes or so.

Now for the next fun part. What to do with all this chicken? Tonight one of the leg quarters is dinner for me with some  simmer-steamed seasoned, buttered vegetables. Kumquat-Cranberry sauce on the side and the meat drizzled with pan drippings. I was really hungry! Check back in the next couple days to see what this chicken turns into. What dishes would you make? Experiment!! There are no hard and fast rules in cooking!

Cooking is Art -- Baking is Science. . .Lin