This really is the best spatchcock chicken recipe, and it’s my favorite way to prepare a succulent roast chicken. Loaded with garlic and herbs, this flavorful dish is perfect for entertaining and is sure to impress your guests!
I love making a Sunday supper for friends and family, and it really doesn’t get much better than a roast chicken – it’s always a crowd pleaser! Spatchcocking a chicken is a great way to ensure an even cook, and it’s such an impressive way to serve it to the table!
How to make Spatchcock Chicken Recipe with Garlic and Herbs
How to spatchcock a chicken
- Place the chicken on a work surface, breast side down
- Use a pair of kitchen shears to cut along the right side of the backbone. From tail to neck
- Cut the same way along the left side and remove the backbone
- Turn the chicken breast side up
- Press firmly downwards until chicken is flat and you hear it crack
- Cut off the wing tips of the chicken
How to cook and make the final dish
- Preheat oven at 240C/450F
- Line a sheet pan with baking paper and place chicken in the middle
- Use a sharp knife to thinly slice the baby potatoes halfway through. The potato should have slits but the bottom part should be intact. Add the potatoes on the pan
- Chop off the top ½ inch of the garlic heads. Add them on the pan
- Peel onion then cut in quarters. Add it on the pan
- Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle ground oregano, thyme and rosemary
- Reduce oven temperature to 200C/400Roast for 45 minutes or until golden brown
- Carefully remove tray from the oven. Cover chicken, veggies and potatoes with foil.
- Roast for another 30 minutes
- Let the chicken rest for 10-15 minutes before carving
Why spatchcock a chicken?
This spatchcock chicken recipe ensures perfect results every time! When cooking a whole chicken, it can be very easy for the white meat (the breasts) to dry out by the time that the dark meat has cooked through. By spatchcocking the chicken, you flatten the bird, so that the breast and legs are at the same level. It cooks more evenly and results in a juicy and succulent roasted chicken.
Why is it called spatchcock?
Spatchcock is also known as butterflying, and it’s a technique where you cut through a caracass to flatten it for cooking. The word ‘spatchcock’ is though to be an abbreviation of ‘dispatch the cock’. Spatchcocking is a term only applied to poultry, such as chicken and quail.
What to serve with a spatchcock chicken
This spatchcock chicken recipe is perfect to serve with all the trimmings! The baby hassle-back potatoes that are cooked with the chicken are a must for me, as is the garlic and onion. This will also be great served alongside Roasted Radishes, Stuffing, Garlic Green Beans and Red Onion Gravy.
Top tips for this Spatchcock Chicken Recipe
- Get a good pair of kitchen scissors to cut the chicken.
- Place the chicken into a pre-heated oven for best results.
- Let the chicken rest for at least 10-15 minutes before serving.
- Keep any unused chicken covered in the fridge for 2-3 days and use in Shredded Chicken Enchiladas or Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili Recipe
Be sure to check out these other chicken recipes that will impress your guests!
Blood Orange Chicken Thighs Recipe (Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs!)
Mexican Chicken Sheet Pan Nachos
Green Chile Chicken Casserole Recipe
Juicy Skillet Chicken Burgers Recipe
Roast Chicken by Recipe Tin Eats
Pan Seared Chicken with Mushrooms by Kevin Is Cooking
If you have tried this spatchcock chicken recipe with garlic and herbs, or any other recipe on my blog, then please rate it and let me know how it turned out in the comments below
Spatchcock Chicken with Garlic and Herbs
Ingredients
- One 4-pound chicken
- 5 whole heads of garlic
- 1 tbsp ground thyme
- 1 tsp ground rosemary
- 1 tsp ground oregano
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 6-7 baby potatoes
- 1 onion
Instructions
- Place the chicken on a work surface, breast side down
- Use a pair of kitchen shears to cut along the right side of the backbone. From tail to neck
- Cut the same way along the left side and remove the backbone
- Turn the chicken breast side up
- Press firmly downwards until chicken is flat and you hear it crack
- Cut off the wing tips of the chicken
- Preheat oven at 240C/450F
- Line a sheet pan with baking paper and place chicken in the middle
- Use a sharp knife to thinly slice the baby potatoes halfway through. The potato should have slits but the bottom part should be intact. Add the potatoes on the pan
- Chop off the top ½ inch of the garlic heads. Add them on the pan
- Peel onion then cut in quarters. Add it on the pan
- Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle ground oregano, thyme and rosemary
- Reduce oven temperature to 200C/400Roast for 45 minutes or until golden brown
- Carefully remove tray from the oven. Cover chicken, veggies and potatoes with foil.
- Roast for another 30 minutes
- Let the chicken rest for 10-15 minutes before carving
Video
Nutrition
This recipe was contributed by Michaella at Well + Yum.
This will definitely impress my inlaws when they come to stay with us next month. Love it!
That makes me so happy!
So dang good! Seasoned to perfection!
oh YAY!
I can’t wait to try this recipe!! The flavors are amazing!
Thanks girl!
This chicken looks so juicy & tasty!! I bet it would be great for so many recipes!
AGREE!
Chicken turned out good, potatoes got mushy, would use larger potatoes next time What was the purpose of 5 Garlic heads? Only thing I can think of is save them and use on toast for a snack later, also the Onions? Maybe use the Garlic & Onions with some Butter and Creme Fraiche on the potatoes.
Yes you would eat the garlic with the potatoes and it also helps flavor everything. I’m glad the chicken turned out great and thank you so much for the potato suggestion. I’m sorry yours came out mushy. Thanks for trying the recipe and letting us know how you liked it!
Is there a video to this recipe
Not yet but its coming within a couple weeks 🙂
Thanks for the easy instructions- I love making chicken this way!
Yay!