Roasted Spatchcock Chicken

Cooking with Rich

2020-06-02T03:03:20+00:00

Roasted chicken is a family favourite for most of us. Since moving to Asia I have missed the Saturday or Sunday roasted chook. My favourite was from a specialist chicken store which roasted (actually BBQ'ed) their chickens for about 2 hours over hot coals. The chickens would be skewered 6-8 per row and stacked on to a carousel that look like a ferris wheel with about 6 rows of chooks. Then rotate, not just each chicken row but then slowly rotating each row also, so the chickens would cook evenly and the juices would drip over the lower level rows as each rows rotated. This was heaven and once cooked the chicken would fall apart and the meat, both white and dark meat was so juicy and tender. Sadly this style of BBQ chicken is rarely available outside of Australia.

So over the years I have tried to find some minor way of getting a roasted chicken anywhere close to my memory of those BBQ chickens I remember devouring in Australia. The closest I can get without going the whole open fire 10 chickens at a time bbq option was to roast a spatchcock chicken.

So what is a spatchcock chicken? A spatchcock or spatchcocked chicken is a chicken with the backbone removed and cut so that it will lay flat after a little pressure is applied allowing the chicken to be spread out or opened up like a book, which makes it cook more quickly and evenly.

Roasted Spatchcock Chicken

Preparation: 15mins | Cooking: 40-60 mins | Serves: 4 adults

Ingredients

1 whole chicken (1.2-1.5 kg) - cooking time will adjust with size.
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp rosemary (dried)
1 tsp thyme (dried)
1 tsp oregano (dried)
1 tsp lemon pepper
½ tsp garlic salt
a little olive oil
few spring of fresh thyme
salt and pepper

Method

Preheat your oven to 250°c
Depending on how your chicken comes, remove any giblets, neck, feet etc.
Lay the chicken breast side down. Using kitchen shears (chook scissors) carefully cut along both sides of the back bone and remove. You can keep this to make stock or gravy.
Turn chicken over and open up to flatten slightly, then apply firm pressure to the centre of the chicken with your palm until your hear a crack in the breast bone.
Combine thoroughly all the dry herbs and spices and rub into all over the chicken, drizzle a little olive oil over the top and season with a little extra salt and pepper.
Distribute evenly the fresh thyme on an oven rack or roasting pan and place the chicken over the thyme with the breast area in the centre of the tray, legs closer to the edge of the tray.
Place your chicken in the middle of the oven for approximately 30mins first (1.2kg size). Check a couple of times and if skin is darkening a little too quickly cover with a piece of aluminium foil. Now you can prepare whatever you will have with your chook such as steamed or roasted veggies, roast potato and or gravy.
Reduce temperature to 180°c and cook for a further 10-15mins, check the internal temperature is about 72-75°c at the thickest part of the breast with a meat or instant thermometer.
Once chicken is cooked remove from the oven and cover with foil to rest for 5-10 mins, allowing the juices to distribute.
To serve you can pull apart, as I do, or serve as is and let your guests go for their favourite pieces.

Tips & Alternatives

While roasting be cautious of the skin crisping up too quickly (I seem to stuff this up it to regularly). Experiment with different areas of the oven as each oven roasts a little differently.
I like to cook on high first and then lower the temperature, but you can reverse this or you can simplify by roasting at around 200°c for the whole time. As long as the chicken is cooked.
The rub can be as simple as salt & pepper if you prefer or feel free to try other herbs and spices. I avoid store bought chicken seasoning but it's an option - each to their own.

Travel with Food

Featured Recipes