Moist and tender Lemon Garlic Spatchcock Chicken is baked to perfection featuring a crispy, golden brown skin. Each bite is packed with lemon and garlic for a homemade dinner recipe you’ll make time and time again.
Easy Spatchcock Chicken
While it may look intimidating, cooking a spatchcock chicken is much easier than it seems. Put simply, a spatchcocked chicken is essentially a whole chicken cut in half and butterflied onto a baking pan. This method allows the chicken to cook through quickly and evenly.
If you’ve never prepared a spatchcock chicken before, follow this simple, flavorful recipe for oven baked chicken!
Why You’ll Love this Spatchcock Chicken Recipe:
- TEXTURE: Because the chicken cooks through evenly, every bite is tender, juicy, and delicious with a crispy skin.
- FLAVORFUL: Bright and zesty lemons and garlic are the stars of this chicken recipe. Your house will smell amazing while this chicken cooks!
- VERSATILE: Delicious year-round, lemon garlic chicken pairs well with just about anything! Serve this chicken with rice, pasta, salad, roasted vegetables, and more.
It’s never been easier to prepare and cook a whole chicken!
How to Make Lemon Garlic Spatchcock Chicken
Be sure to see the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions!
- Cut the backbone out of the chicken.
- Flatten the chicken.
- Butterfly the chicken on a baking sheet.
- Make the marinade.
- Coat the chicken with the marinade.
- Bake the chicken and serve.
Use a 3-3½ pound whole chicken for this spatchcock chicken recipe.
Marinating the chicken in the refrigerator is optional. You can brush the marinade on and bake the chicken immediately, or marinate the chicken overnight in the refrigerator for more intense flavor.
Absolutely! Simply use orange slices and orange juice in this recipe.
I love this cooking method because the chicken breasts and thighs are done at the same time. It’s the easiest way to evenly cook a whole chicken!
Recipe Tips and Notes
- For the most intense flavor, let the chicken marinate overnight.
- Make sure the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F before removing it from the oven and serving.
- If you notice the herbs are browning too much while the chicken cooks, pour a cup of water onto the baking sheet. This helps keep the chicken moist, too!
Bursting with bright citrus flavor, this whole chicken recipe will be a new family favorite!
How do I know when this chicken is done cooking?
Spatchcock chicken is done cooking when the exterior is golden brown and crispy and the interior temperature reaches 165°F.
Can I use fresh herbs in the marinade?
Definitely! Use 2-3 tablespoons of your favorite chopped fresh Italian herbs like rosemary, oregano, and thyme.
Made with fresh lemons, garlic, and Italian herbs, this chicken goes with everything. Give spatchcock chicken a try with this simple, flavorful recipe!
More Whole Chicken Recipes!
If you’ve made this recipe, please be sure to let us know by leaving a star rating or a comment below. Enjoy!
Lemon Garlic Spatchcock Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 1 3-3 ½ pound whole chicken
- 1 lemon sliced
- 3 whole garlic heads halved
For the Marinade
- ½ cup fresh lemon juice 2 lemons
- ½ cup olive oil
- 1 ½ tablespoons Italian seasoning
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray it with nonstick spray. Set aside.
- Place the chicken back-side up onto a cutting board.1 3-3 ½ pound whole chicken
- Use poultry scissors or a sharp knife to cut out the backbone. Remove it from the chicken.
- Rotate the chicken and press on the breast to flatten it. Turn the legs inside out. Place the butterflied chicken open-side down on the prepared pan.
- Cut the garlic heads in half and place them cut-side down beside the chicken on the baking sheet.3 whole garlic heads
- In a small bowl, mix together all of the marinade ingredients. Brush the marinade evenly over the chicken.½ cup fresh lemon juice, ½ cup olive oil, 1 ½ tablespoons Italian seasoning, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Bake for 30 minutes.
- While the chicken bakes, slice the lemon into rounds. After 30 minutes, remove the chicken from the oven. Place the lemon slices on top of the chicken and cook for another 15-20 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F. Remove the chicken from the oven, let it cool slightly, and serve.1 lemon
Entela says
I loved this recept very much!
Becky Hardin says
Thanks for sharing!!
Emily says
What are you supposed to do with the garlic?
Becky Hardin says
You can squeeze it out of the head and brush it over the chicken before serving or save it to use another day! It’s really meant to perfume the chicken while it roasts.