Delicious and easy to make, this herb roasted spatchcock chicken recipe is a family favorite. Seasoned with lemon and fresh herbs, this oven-roasted butterflied chicken is succulent, juicy, and full of flavor.
My mama is an excellent cook! I learned from her the trade of making something out of nothing, and for a while, even supplemented my income with it.
One of her best meals (and my favorites!) is this simple crispy spatchcock roast chicken with lemon and herbs, and I'm so excited to share it with you!
Mama's meals are always the best, no matter how old or how good of a cook you are!
For more poultry recipes, be sure to check out my Sheet Pan Mediterranean Herb Chicken and Colombian Chicken Stew, or this Serbian Baked Sauerkraut with Smoked Turkey.
Why it Works
- Easy to prep: A delicious roast chicken doesn't take long to prep, so it's great option if you don't have hours to spend in the kitchen,
- Simple ingredients: I love this dish because of it's simplicity. Just a few basic ingredients and you have one tasty dinner on your hands.
- Gluten and dairy-free: A great recipe for those with dietary restrictions.
🛒Ingredients and Notes
- Chicken: I love to make this recipe with a spatchcocked bird; the results are always so good. You can also make this recipe with separate parts (boneless breast and leg quarters) and even with a whole bird, although the cooking times will vary.
- Fresh herbs: I like to use a mix of fresh sage, thyme, and rosemary for the best flavor. You can just use one or two herbs if you prefer.
🤔How to Spatchcock Poultry?
You can ask your butcher to spatchcock your poultry for you, but it's easy to do yourself.
- Place the chicken breast side down.
- Starting at the thighs, cut along one side of the backbone with kitchen shears.
- Cut along the other side of the backbone.
- Turn it over and open it up.
- Press firmly down on the breast bone to flatten it.
🔪Step by Step Instructions
- Rinse the bird and pat dry with paper towels, then spatchcock it (see instructions above). Coat it with olive oil using your hands. Set in a roasting pan, skin side up. Squeeze the juice of one lemon over the bird; season with salt and pepper. Scatter with herb twigs and lemon slices.
- Roast at 400 F for about 45 minutes, depending on size, or until juices run clear.
💡Recipe Tips
- Allow the meat to come up to room temperature before roasting it. This will help it to cook evenly through. I like to take it out of the fridge 30 minutes to an hour before I'm ready to cook it.
- Ensure that the chicken is covered all over with the oil, so it browns and crisps. I like to use my hands to do this to make sure it's fully coated.
- Use an instant-read thermometer to check that your roasted spatchcock chicken is fully cooked through. An inserted thermometer in the thickest part of the meat (not touching bone) should register at 165F.
- Let it rest for 15 minutes before carving. This allows the juices to redistribute.
How to Serve It
Spatchcock roast chicken is great to serve alongside vegetable, rice, and potato sides. Try it with:
- Kurdish Rice Pilaf
- Spicy Marinated Brussels Sprouts
- Dairy-Free Mashed Potatoes with Caramelized Onions
- Swiss Chard and Potatoes
❓FAQs
Whilst I love to cook whole chickens, and you can certainly use a whole bird for this recipe, I find that spatchcocking the bird is a foolproof way to get juicy meat every time.
Because the bird is flattened, the air can't circulate inside, meaning that the thighs and breasts cook simultaneously. You will never get dry meat roasting poultry this way.
This herb-roasted spatchcock chicken is best served straight out of the oven, but you can prep it the day before and keep it covered in the fridge. Just let it come up to room temperature before roasting it.
If you have leftovers, remove the meat from the bones and keep covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. Leftovers can be used in soups and stews or use cold in salads and sandwiches. Take care only to reheat cooked meat once.
More Delicious Recipes to Try
- Bosnian One-Pot Chicken Rice Dinner
- Sopa de Pollo - Mexican Chicken Soup
- Chicken in Beer Sauce with Welsh Rarebit - Coq à la Bière
- BBQ Buffalo Chicken Fillo Stromboli
- How to Roast Turkey
Liked this recipe? Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section. Your feedback is always appreciated! Stay in touch through Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook! Don't forget to sign up for my email list below too!
Herb-Roasted Spatchcock Chicken Recipe
Equipment
- Cutting board
- Kitchen shears
- Roasting pan
- Paper towels
- meat thermometar
Ingredients
- 1 spatchcock chicken (you can also use 3-4 pounds of chicken parts or a whole bird)
- 1 handful fresh sage, thyme, and rosemary
- 2 lemons one juiced and one sliced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Rinse the bird and pat dry with paper towels. Spatchcock it, then coat it with olive oil using your hands. Set it in a roasting pan, skin side up. Squeeze the juice of one lemon over the bird; season with salt and pepper. Scatter with herb twigs and lemon slices.
- Roast for about 45, depending on size, or until juices run clear. Let sit for 10-15 minutes before carving.
Expert Tips
- Allow the chicken to come up to room temperature before roasting it. This will help it to cook evenly through. I like to take it out of the fridge 30 minutes to an hour before I'm ready to cook it.
- Ensure that the chicken is covered all over with the oil, so it browns and crisps. I like to use my hands to do this to make sure it's fully coated.
- Use an instant-read thermometer to check that your bird is fully cooked through. An inserted thermometer in the chicken's thickest part (not touching bone) should register at 165F.
- Let it rest for 15 minutes before carving. This allows the juices to redistribute.
- See the step-by-step tutorial for how to spatchcock the poultry in the post above.
- Nutrition information is approximate and meant as a guideline only.
Nutrition
Update Notes: This recipe was originally published in March 2015 and updated in November of 2020 with new photos and recipe tips.
This looks so delicious and your photography is beyond beautiful.
Thank you, Pamela! That means so much as I always believe my food tastes much better than it looks. 🙂 Have a wonderful weekend!
Another great recipe to try! Your recipes (and awesome photography), are becoming my go-to meal plans for the week! Thanks so much for sharing with us, Jas!
Thank you, Amy! 🙂
You can't beat a good roast chicken, we have one nearly each week. Thanks for linking up to Sweet and Savoury Sunday, stop by and link up again. Have a great day!! Laura@Baking in Pyjamas
I agree, Laura! XO
Looks terrific Jas and gorgeous photography! Hope to see you on Saturday!
Thank you, Joanne!
Always lookin for more chicken recipes to try! Pinning this one.
Poppin' over from the Funtastic Friday party.
Thanks, Alexandra! XO
This is gorgeous and sound so good! Pinning to try. Thanks for sharing at What'd You Do This Weekend?!
Thank you, Joy, you will like it!
Oh, that sounds good! I was looking for a 'twist on chicken' recipe 😉
I hope you will share your post with our Link Up - Idea box:
http://milaslittlethings.com/2015/03/idea-box-thursday-link-party-3.html
xx
Mila
milaslittlethings.com
Thanks, Mila, I will visit for sure!
This sounds amazing! My family loves chicken! Thank you for linking up to Party Time and we hope to see you again next week!
Thank you, Cheryl! See you next week 🙂
That looks sooooo delicious! Your pictures made my mouth water.
🙂 Thank you very much, Shelly!!!
Thanks again for linking up with Waiting on...Wednesday @ While I'm Waiting! Your recipes always look delicious!
You're too kind 🙂
It's been definitely too long since I've made good, homely roasted chicken like this. Thanks for the inspiration... I must do so again soon!
It's the simple things that are the best...thanks for visiting Thalia! XO
This looks so delicious! Love how you style your food! Pinning it!
Thank you! 🙂
I'm in love with your pictures and the idea of the history of your recipe. Thanks for inviting us to your table to enjoy. 🙂
Aw, thanks, Jerusha! Such a sweet thing to say 🙂 Hugs
Another great simple recipe Jas! Love seeing these - it is amazing what you can create with so few ingredients.
Thanks, Caroline! True that! 😀 XO
oh wow this looks amazing, thanks for sharing!
lifeisashoe
Thanks, Celyn! XO
This looks delicious! Love your photography too, really adds to how tasty the food looks - beautiful.
Thank you very much, Cat! Hugs 🙂
That looks so yummy! Roasted chicken is one of my favorites 🙂
Roasted chicken is a classic, and I love everything quick and easy. Thanks for visiting, Trish!
This looks so delicious, with all the lemon and herbs. Baked to perfection!
Thanks, Maria! I love your Nutella recipes, huge fan here 😀
pure comfort! xo
It sure is! 🙂
Mama meals are always the best as most generally they are passed on from generation to generation and never written down, well until now. I really need to try fresh sage next time I bake a chicken and cutting it up really does cut down on the baking time. Good idea. Sharing, of course!
Thank you, Bobbi! Simple dishes are the best but sometimes easily forgotten as we try to keep up with the pressure of creating 'bigger and better' meals. Hugs to you, my friend!