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Ultimate Crispy Skin Lemon Herb Spatchcock Chicken

A whole, perfectly roasted spatchcock chicken with golden-brown, herb-crusted skin resting on a white plate.
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Follow this guide to spatchcock a whole chicken for incredibly crispy skin and juicy meat, seasoned simply with lemon and herbs, then roasted quickly in the oven.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 whole chicken (about 4 lbs)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon dried rosemary
  • 1 tablespoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 lemon, halved

Instructions

  1. Place the chicken breast-side down on a cutting board.
  2. Use strong kitchen shears to cut along both sides of the backbone, starting from the tail end. Remove and discard the backbone.
  3. Flip the chicken over so it is breast-side up. Press down firmly on the breastbone until you hear a crack and the chicken lies flat.
  4. Pat the entire chicken very dry with paper towels. This helps achieve crispy skin.
  5. In a small bowl, mix the olive oil, rosemary, thyme, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
  6. Rub the herb mixture evenly over the entire surface of the chicken, including under the skin where possible.
  7. Place one lemon half under each side of the flattened chicken.
  8. Place the spatchcock chicken on a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet.
  9. Roast in a preheated oven at 425°F (220°C) for 45 to 60 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165°F (74°C).
  10. Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before carving.

Notes

  • For extra crispy skin, place the seasoned chicken in the refrigerator uncovered for at least 4 hours or overnight before roasting.
  • If you want to cook vegetables alongside the chicken, toss root vegetables like potatoes and carrots with oil and salt and place them directly on the baking sheet around the rack.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://kitchnkudos.com/best-spatchcock-chicken-recipe-juicy-crispy/