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Ultimate Fast & Crispy Oven Spatchcock Chicken: A Lemon Herb Recipe

A beautifully roasted spatchcock chicken with crispy, golden-brown skin seasoned with herbs, resting on a white plate.
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Learn how to spatchcock chicken to achieve incredibly juicy meat and perfectly crispy skin in under an hour. This lemon herb roast chicken recipe simplifies the process for an easy weeknight chicken dinner.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 whole chicken (about 4 pounds)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 lemon, cut into wedges (for roasting cavity)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Place a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet.
  2. Prepare the chicken: Place the whole chicken breast-side down on a cutting board. Locate the backbone running down the center. Use strong kitchen shears to cut along both sides of the backbone, removing it completely. Set the backbone aside for stock or discard.
  3. Flip the chicken over so it is breast-side up. Press down firmly on the center of the breastbone until you hear a crack and the chicken lies flat. This is how you butterfly a chicken.
  4. Tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken.
  5. In a small bowl, mix the olive oil, lemon zest, rosemary, thyme, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to create the herb rub.
  6. Rub the herb mixture evenly all over the entire surface of the flattened chicken, including under the skin where possible. Place the lemon wedges inside the flattened cavity area.
  7. Place the spatchcock chicken, skin-side up, on the prepared wire rack.
  8. Roast for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees Fahrenheit. This fast roast chicken recipe cooks quickly due to the flat shape.
  9. Remove the chicken from the oven. Let it rest on the cutting board for 10 minutes before carving. This helps keep the meat juicy.

Notes

  • If you prefer a different flavor, substitute the lemon herb rub with a garlic lime mixture or a simple salt and pepper blend for a classic roast.
  • Using a wire rack allows air to circulate completely around the bird, which is key for crispy skin roast chicken results.
  • For the juiciest whole chicken oven results, always use a meat thermometer; do not rely solely on time.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://pureplatepath.com/spatchcock-chicken-lemon-herb-roast-recipe/