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I’m always looking for easy weeknight dinners.
Heck, who am I kidding, I want dinner to be easy even if it’s not a weeknight!
I always forget about spatchcock chicken, and then kick myself for not making it more often when I try it again. This recipe is great because it pulls together quickly, everything cooks together on one pan and you can put it in the oven and walk away. And, it tastes amazing, always so tender!
The word spatchcock just means a chicken or game bird that has been cut open and prepared for grilling. It might seem a bit overwhelming, but it’s really quite easy.
You’ll want to start with a thawed chicken and place it on the counter or on a cutting board breast down. You’ll then use kitchen shears to cut along each side of the backbone. Once the backbone is removed, I like to put it in a freezer bag and toss it in the freezer to use later in bone broth. With the backbone removed, flip the chicken over, breast up, and press down so that it flattens out and lays flat. That’s all there is to spatchcocking!
You could really use any variety of veggies and seasonings. Our favorite veggies to use are potatoes, carrots, and brussel sprouts. Mr. Farmer likes things pretty plain Jane, so I season with just salt, but in the recipe below I’ll share the flavors I’d use if I could.
I could walk you through it all word by word, but who has time for that? I’ll get right to it down below!
Easy Roasted Spatchcock Chicken & Veggies
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Spatchcock chicken cooks a lot faster than a whole chicken, making it a perfect choice for an extra special weeknight meal!
Ingredients:
4 lb Six S Dairy Chicken
3 tbsp olive oil (divided)
1 tbsp smoked paprika
1 tsp Redmonds real salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp fresh thyme or 2 tsp dried thyme
1 lb baby potatoes, halved if larger
3 medium carrots, chopped into 1/2 " chunks
12 oz brussel sprouts cut in half
Steps:
Spatchcock chicken
Combine 2 tbsp of olive oil with paprika, salt & pepper.
Rub all over the chicken and underneath the skin onto the breast meat. If you're able, let it come to room temp for 30 minutes before cooking.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Toss the potatoes, carrots, and brussel sprouts with the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil, thyme, and additional salt & pepper to taste.
Place the chicken on a heavy-rimmed baking sheet (I love stoneware) or in a cast-iron skillet, breast up.
Place the potatoes and veggies around the chicken.
Roast the chicken for 45 minutes to one hour or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers at 165 degrees.
Remove from the oven and cover loosely with foil and allow to rest for 10-15 minutes before carving.
Notes:
A 3-4 lb chicken works perfectly. Cooking time will vary depending on chicken size and your oven. check the temp after 45 minutes and baste the veggies with the juices if needed.
If the chicken browns too quickly, cover with foil for the remainder of cooking time.
Use your favorite potatoes & veggies
Change up the seasonings and herbs to suit your taste!
Enjoy!