Spatchcocked Grilled Chicken Recipe with How-to Video

This might be the best chicken I’ve ever had. Big claim, I know! The flavor of this Spatchcocked Grilled Chicken is not only incredible, but it is hands-down the juiciest I’ve ever had.

The phrase ‘spatchcocking a chicken‘ is funny to some and intimidating to many, but I promise you, it’s so so simple, and the results definitely justify the means.

Opening a chicken flat, as this technique does, allows you to not only cook the bird quite a bit faster, but also double-down on flavor as so much more of the surface area is exposed to the dry heat (roasting or grilling) – which means way more crispy skin.

Roasting a spatchcocked chicken is simple in that you are simply placing it in the oven and the heat is even everywhere. When grilling a spatchcocked chicken, there’s a little more nuance involved regarding direct and indirect heat.

Follow the instructions of this recipe below and you will be so glad that you did! This is the best of grilling season!

Want to know my other favorite grilled chicken recipe that we make on repeat all summer long? It’s this Lemon Rosemary Grilled Chicken – it uses the whole chicken and in this post, I even show you how to break down a whole chicken. And if you’re looking for some great side dishes to go with your chicken, these are some of my favorites: Grilled Zucchini with Mozzarella & Calabrian Chilies, Watermelon Radish Salad with Green Garlic Vinaigrette, and Whipped Feta with Tomatoes & Peaches.

What Actually Is Spatchcocking?

Great question! The funny word has English origins and refers to removing the backbone of any whole poultry, in this case a whole chicken, and this is easily done using a good pair of poultry shears.

Once removed, you are able to flip the bird over and press down on the breast and flatten it, by snapping the breast bone and rib cage. This allows the the breasts, thighs and legs to spread out and lie flat. And by removing the cavity and allowing the bird to lie flat, the cooking time is greatly reduced.

So why do we do this?

Well, it’s simple. First, by removing the cavity and allowing the bird to lie flat, the grilling time is greatly reduced. And who isn’t looking for ways to get dinner on the table faster?

And second, by ALL parts of the chicken being exposed to the heat, you are able to significantly increase the amount of caramelized and crispy chicken skin, which only leads to more flavor (say goodbye to soggy skin on the chicken thighs!).

And the bonus?

The backbone that you remove, along with the chicken carcass after it has been cooked and carved (see below), can be used to make the best chicken stock to use in soups, stews, sauces, and other dishes.

And the cherry on top???

You get to say you know how to spatchcock a chicken!

Recipe Ingredients

You’ll need the following ingredients to make this incredible spatchcocked grilled chicken:

Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

The ingredients to make this spatchcocked chicken are easy to find and readily available at most any grocery store.

Here are a few ingredient notes:

Whole chicken: You’ve got to use a whole chicken for spatchcocking. Be sure to purchase the best quality chicken that you can afford. *Friendly reminder: do not wash your chicken, as it is completely unnecessary and just spreads bacteria in your kitchen.

Soy sauce: You would never know that soy sauce is in this dish. It simply has the effect of brining while marinating the chicken with delicious flavor. You could substitute tamari or even coconut aminos.

Dijon mustard: Another key ingredient in the marinade, Dijon mustard provides wonderful and strong flavor. Dijon is best in this recipe, but you could substitute another spicy mustard if you must.

Limes: Every good marinade has an acid component, and I’ve chosen limes for this one. You could easily substitute another type of citrus or even a vinegar – apple cider, sherry, white wine, etc.

Let’s Make Spatchcocked Grilled Chicken Together: STEP BY STEP

Steps 1 & 2:

First, place the chicken, breast side down, on your cutting board. Then, using good quality poultry or kitchen shears, cut along the right side of the backbone until you reach the other end.

Repeat the same thing on the other side of the backbone.

Steps 3 & 4:

Once you’ve completely removed the backbone, set it aside (save this to make chicken stock later).

Then, flip the chicken over, breast side up, and using your hands and weight, press down on the breast until it snaps and the chicken lays flat.

Steps 5, 6 & 7:

Whisk together all of the ingredients for the marinade and pour it over the chicken and cover it with plastic wrap. Allow the chicken to marinate for at least 3 hours, but preferably overnight.

Next, remove the chicken from the marinade and season it generously with kosher salt and black pepper on both sides.

Steps 8, 9 & 10:

Preheat your grill over high heat. Then, set your grill up for direct and indirect heat, by keeping one side of your grill on medium-high heat, and the other completely off.

Place the chicken, breast side up, over the indirect heat, with the legs facing the direct heat side. After 35 minutes, reduce the heat to medium, flip the chicken and place it breast side down, on the direct heat side with the breast facing the indirect heat side of the grill. Grill until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the breast reaches about 150 degrees – it will continue to cook while it rests.

Remove from the grill and let rest 10 minutes.

Storage & Reheating

STORAGE: Keep any leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

REHEATING: To reheat the chicken, you place it on a sheet pan, covered, in a 350 degree oven until heated through. Alternatively, you can reheat it in the microwave in 30 second intervals until heated through.

FREEZING: This chicken freezes really well. To do so, place it into an airtight container or a ziploc bag, making sure to remove all of the air, and freeze for up to 6 months. To defrost, remove it from the freezer and place in the refrigerator overnight.

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