Spatchcock Chicken

Image: Carla Zinkfontein

Spatchcock Chicken – Family dinner is now served

Family dinner is served with this tender on the inside and crispy on the outside Spatchcock Chicken. Great for that weekly meal with the ones you love.

Spatchcock Chicken

Image: Carla Zinkfontein

Do you know the old saying about everything good tasting like chicken? The flavour of real, high-quality chicken is so underrated. This recipe makes sure you taste every bit of that goodness. Flatten out the Spatchcock Chicken to help even cooking. It makes sure that everything cooks well and is tender with a golden brown crispy skin on the outside. It’s the family dinner at its best, especially when you add your favourite veggies and rice or roasted potatoes.

This recipe is nice and simple to make with very few ingredients. The recipe method below teaches you how to flatten the chicken yourself. The only hard part is adding the butter under the skin. It is more labour-intensive than you think, especially when you get into smaller areas. If you want to do more, add some fresh green herbs to the butter mixture. The butter helps with flavour, browning and crispiness of the skin. Spatchcock Chicken goes very well with some roast potatoes and roast vegetables.

Serve family dinner with this tender on the inside and crispy on the outside Spatchcock Chicken. Great for that weekly meal with the ones you love.

Spatchcock Chicken Recipe

0 from 0 votes
Recipe by Carla Zinkfontein Course: MainCuisine: GlobalDifficulty: Easy
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

20

minutes
Cooking time

55

minutes
Total time

1

hour 

15

minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 kg 2 Whole chicken

  • ¼ cup ¼ Unsalted butter softened

  • ½ tsp ½ Black pepper

  • 1 tbsp 1 Lemon zest (from 1 large lemon)

  • 2 cloves 2 Garlic cloves, minced

Method

  • Preheat oven to 232°C/450˚F.
  • Place butter, salt, pepper, lemon zest, minced thyme, and garlic into a small bowl and mix together until evenly combined. Set aside.
  • Turn chicken breast-side down on a clean cutting board. Using sharp kitchen scissors, cut out the backbone of the chicken.
  • Turn the chicken over and open back, so the legs are facing inward. Place palms over the centre of the breastbone and firmly press down to crack (this will allow the chicken to lay flat).
  • Using fingers, gently pull the skin away from the meat throughout the chicken. Then carefully and evenly spread half of the butter mixture under the skin of the chicken.
  • Rub remaining butter evenly over the entire skin of the chicken.
  • Tuck wing tips behind the chicken.
  • Place prepared chicken into a 12-inch cast-iron skillet, turning legs inward.
  • Transfer the skillet to preheated oven and roast for 45 to 55 minutes or until the internal temperature reads 74˚C when a thermometer is inserted into the thickest part of the leg, and the juices run clear.
  • Remove the skillet from the oven and allow the chicken to rest for about 10 minutes.
  • Top chicken with thyme leaves and sliced chives.

Notes

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