Ever scraped a chicken? It’s easier than you might think! It’s the same method as smashing a chicken, and you only need kitchen scissors. Ensures more evenly cooked chicken with crispier skin!
Have you ever spatulaed a chicken? It’s surprisingly easy! All you need is a pair of kitchen scissors and some brains. The benefits are faster, more even cooking and lots of deliciously crispy skin.
What is spatchcocked chicken?
Spadding a chicken is exactly the same as smashing a chicken, but with a name that’s way more fun! In any case, this simply means cutting out the backbone of the chicken and flattening the chicken so it cooks in a single layer.
Why spatchcock a chicken?
Spatchcocking a chicken has major benefits that put this method above all others for me.
- Cooking on my own: Spatchcocking means that the breast meat and thigh meat are on the same horizontal plane, so they both cook at pretty much the same rate. This means you no longer have to wait for the thighs to finish cooking while the chicken breast dries. Which in turn means that the white and dark meat lovers in your family will all be very happy.
- Perfectly seasoned: I’m always frustrated with the amount of seasoning I lose when I try to season the underside of a regular chicken’s thighs and drumsticks. But since the entire surface of the chicken is facing up after the butterfly, seasoning is a breeze.
- Lots and lots of crispy skin: Because the vast majority of the skin is exposed and facing up, a butterfly chicken doesn’t get those saggy, sad spots on the undersides of the thighs and drumsticks. Always crispy.
- Easier to serve: No traverse. No complicated carving. The chicken lifts easily onto a cutting board and is ready to serve with just a few extra slices.
Step by step: how to spatchcock a chicken
Most butchers will prepare you a chicken for free, but honestly it’s really easy to do at home. You’ll feel like a chef, and all you need is a pair of strong kitchen scissors (I love my OXO scissors).
- Turn the chicken breast side down: Turn the bird over so the breasts are down and you’re looking at the back. Do you see the backbone? You will cut along both sides of this spine to remove it. You can go from the top of the chicken or from the bottom; Just pick a direction and go with it.
- Cut along the spine and through the ribs: Now you have to use a bit of force to cut the rib bones, but I’m always amazed at how easy it is to do. Make sure you cut near the pivot point of your scissors where the two blades screw together. This is where you have the most power; Do not try to cut with the tips of the scissors.
- Cut out the spine: Cut one side of the spine all the way up and then the other all the way up. Remember you are cutting Next the backbone, not really through it. Once the spine is cut free, lift it out and set it aside. (It’s great for making chicken broth.)
- Turn the chicken over and press on the sternum: Open the chicken up a bit with your hands, then turn it over so the breasts are now facing up. With the palm of your hand, press firmly on the breast meat, just above the breastbone. You should hear a slight crunch.
- Press flat: The goal here is to flatten this area so that the breasts and thighs are essentially level. Some pros recommend cutting off the cartilage under the sternum, or even removing the control arm entirely. This helps the chicken lay flatter, but I personally don’t feel that the extra excitement makes much of a difference in how the chicken cooks.
How to cook a spatchcock chicken
You can either fry or grill it. I’ve included some very easy roasting instructions below that you can certainly tweak as much as you like.
Convince yourself with these recipes!
- Spatchcocked Grilled Chicken with Orange and Ginger
- Stuffed chicken with ricotta
- Grilled Cornish chickens
- Grilled chicken under a brick
Video: How to spatchcocket and roast a chicken
Still a little nervous? Just watch the video below on how to spatchcock a chicken!
1:39
How to spatchcocket and roast a chicken
How to make a chicken spatchcock (butterfly).
This method works with birds of all sizes, even turkeys.
ingredients
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1 whole chicken
method
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Place the chicken breast-side down on a cutting surface:
You should be looking at the backbone of the chicken.
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Using kitchen scissors, cut out the spine:
You can start from the top of the chicken or from the bottom. Slightly trim to one side of the backbone so you’re cutting through the rib bones and not the backbone itself.
If it feels very difficult to cut through the bones, try positioning your scissors a little farther from the spine.
Cut one side of the spine all the way up and then the other all the way up. Remove the spine and set aside.
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Open the bird slightly with your hands, then turn it breast side up:
The chicken breast should now be facing up. Fold the legs so they are facing in and most of the meat is facing up.
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Flatten Chicken:
Press firmly on the sternum with the palm of your hand.
The goal is to flatten the chicken so the breast and thighs are about even. You’ll likely hear a crunch (although it’s okay if you don’t). You can also pick up the chicken and use your hands if that feels more comfortable.
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Tuck the wings under (optional):
The tips of the tiny, thin wings tend to cook quickly and burn during cooking. Tuck them behind the chicken’s body to slow cooking and protect the tips.
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Roast or Grill Chicken:
When roasting, place the chicken in a roasting pan, rub everything with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast at 450°F for 35 to 45 minutes until chicken is at least 165°F in both thighs and breast.
| nutritional information (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 404 | calories |
| 23g | Fat |
| 0g | carbohydrates |
| 46g | protein |
