If you want the juiciest chicken with crispy skin and the most amazing flavor, then you must make this Spatchcock lemon grass chicken!
when i was pregnant With our second child I was in no kind of position to cook, eat or even think about any of those things. But it was like taking a surfer away from the ocean, I was determined to make better meals than ever when I had the baby. and spatchcock chicken was strangely at the top of my list. I have no idea why I settled on chicken, but it ended up being a blessing. It gave me something to look forward to. Deciding without ever deciding that I was going to not only survive, but thrive post traumatic pregnancy.
I’m not saying that someone who is going through something difficult should think about chicken to fix things, because again, I won’t be thinking about chicken at this time. But maybe there is something in positive psychology that can take us away from AB being in the kitchen. So without telling you what I think… yet… what is the happiest memory you have around food?
Why is food more often associated with happiness than sadness?
I’ll move on, I know you just want the recipe, but it’s something to think about. Is there a secret about food and cooking that might make a difference in your happiness in the midst of your trial?
What is a spatchcock chicken?
A spatchcock chicken is the same as a butterfly chicken. This is a method of cooking chicken in which the backbone of a whole chicken is removed and flattened so that it lays flat and roasts more evenly. For some reason, this little bird’s legs curled up again at the end, but otherwise it would lay much flatter than that.
why are you spatchcock chicken?
When roasting a whole chicken, the chicken breast sits higher and cooks first and dries out while the rest of the chicken comes up to temperature.
With spatchcock chicken, everything is level and evenly roasted resulting in juicy chicken breasts, thighs, legs…the whole bird!
And the skin becomes so crispy and delicious! I dare say that once you’re a Spatchcock, you’ll never go back to roasting chicken any other way.
Do you toss spatchcock when cooking?
No, spatchcock does not need to be turned while cooking. Grill it with the meat side up and it will reach a perfect temperature without turning over.
What do I need to make spatchcock chicken?
All you have to do is grab a whole chicken and then pop into the produce section to get some fresh herbs and citrus. You’ll likely have everything else you need in the pantry already. grant…this recipe is so budget friendly! Here’s what you’ll need:
- Whole Chicken: A 4-5 pound chicken works best, with skin on
- Kosher salt: adds flavor
- Pepper: adds flavor
Marinade
- Olive oil: used as a marinade base and helps the chicken stay moist while the skin becomes crispy
- Garlic: adds flavor
- Fresh Rosemary: Fresh is best but use dried if you need to
- Fresh Parsley: Fresh is best but use dried if you need to
- Lemons: You will want to grate 1 lemon and juice 1-2 lemons. The third lemon will be sliced and placed on top of the chicken while grilling.
- Lime Juice: Fresh is by far the best option here
- Orange zest: You will need the zest of one orange
- Orange juice: You only need one orange to get the juice you need and fresh is of course the best
- Honey: adds natural sweetness
The measurements for each ingredient can be found on the recipe card below along with instructions for making the entire recipe.
How to spatchcock chicken
The general idea is to remove the backbone using very sharp kitchen shears and then flatten the whole chicken. To do this, place the chicken with the breast down and the neck facing you. Then using the kitchen shears, cut the ribs on either side of the backbone and remove the backbone.
Then open the rib cage and score the breastbone with a heavy knife on the inside of the chicken. This will help when you flip the chicken to flatten the chicken. Before turning it over, season the inside with salt.
Now turn the chicken over so that the breast side is up. Then, using the palm of your hand, firmly push the breastbone so that the chicken lies completely flat. You have now made the chicken and it is ready to marinate.
What to eat with roast chicken
I love this chicken with all my soul, but I love finding the best sides to go with it even more! Here are some of our favorites:
Ideas for using leftovers
This chicken recipe makes chicken so delicious and moist, you’ll want to use up all the leftovers (if you have any!). You can eat it as is or you can repurpose it into other recipes like out-of-this-world chicken pot pie, Hawaiian haystacks, chicken noodle soup, or pesto chicken pasta. And these are only 4 options! I can list probably another hundred. Search the blog for rotisserie chicken and you can use this chicken to replace rotisserie chicken in any recipe.
How to store, reheat and freeze roast chicken
storage: Keep the chicken in an airtight container and it will keep for up to 3 days.
Reheating: You have a few options when it comes to reheating chicken. One of them is to heat it in the oven. Heat the oven to 350 degrees and place the chicken in an oven safe dish, add half a cup of chicken broth to keep it moist and cover the dish with foil. It will take about 20 minutes for it to heat up. This option will keep the skin crispy and not dry out the chicken.
The second option is to use a microwave. Place the chicken on a plate and cover it with a damp paper towel. Heat it in the microwave for a few minutes and it should be ready to use. The skin will lose some of its crispiness, but it’s a quick and easy reheat option.
freezing: This chicken freezes really well. I like to use the food preserver to preserve leftovers, and it will keep for up to 3 months. If you don’t have a food preserver, you can just use a Ziploc bag and squeeze out as much air as possible.
Once you go to Spatchcock, you’ll never go back! This is a guarantee from me! And I also promise to do it spatchcock chicken It’s easy and eating it with the ones you love will bring comfort, happiness and a full stomach!
More easy chicken recipes you will like:
Prepare the chicken
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Place the chicken breast down with the neck facing you. Using kitchen scissors, cut the ribs on both sides of the backbone. Open the rib cage and use a heavy knife to probe the sternum. This will help remove the breastbone and flatten the chicken. Season the inside of the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and pepper.
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Turn the chicken breast side up and with the palm of your hand, push firmly on the breastbone to force the chicken to lie completely flat.
Marinade
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In a small mixing bowl, mix the marinade ingredients, including lemon zest and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Cut 3 slices from the second lemon and set aside.
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Pour into a Ziploc and add the chicken, strain the bag to coat the chicken. Allow to rest in the refrigerator for a few hours, up to overnight.
Cook the chicken
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Heat the oven to 425 degrees.
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Remove the chicken from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking.
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Place the whole raw chicken, cut side down, on a tray. Throw any marinade on the top of the chicken and place 3 slices of lemon on the bird and slide it into the oven.
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Bake uncovered at 425˚F for 45 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer reads 160˚F when inserted into the thickest part of the chicken breast. Remove from the oven and place uncovered for 10 minutes on a cutting board before slicing.
Calories: 354KKL
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