Description
This Lemon Garlic Spatchcock Chicken is a vibrant and flavorful dish featuring a whole chicken butterflied for even cooking, seasoned with a zesty lemon-garlic herb butter. The combination of fresh herbs, lemon zest and juice, and garlic creates a juicy, crispy, and aromatic main course perfect for a family dinner or special occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 4-5 pound whole chicken
- salt and pepper to taste
Lemon Garlic Herb Butter
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- Zest and juice from 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
- Additional lemon slices for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) to ensure a hot environment for roasting the chicken to crispy perfection.
- Prepare Chicken: Using kitchen shears, spatchcock the whole chicken by cutting along both sides of the backbone and removing it. Flatten the chicken by pressing down firmly on the breastbone.
- Make Herb Butter: In a small bowl, mix the softened butter with minced garlic, lemon zest and juice, chopped parsley, rosemary, and thyme until well combined.
- Season Chicken: Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, then season both sides generously with salt and pepper.
- Apply Herb Butter: Carefully spread the lemon garlic herb butter evenly over the skin and under the skin of the chicken to infuse flavor and moisture.
- Roast Chicken: Place the spatchcocked chicken skin-side up on a rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan. Roast in the preheated oven for 60 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) and the skin is golden and crispy.
- Rest Chicken: Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute.
- Garnish and Serve: Garnish with additional lemon slices and serve warm for a juicy, flavorful main course.
Notes
- Spatchcocking the chicken allows for more even cooking and a crispier skin.
- Make sure the chicken is patted dry before applying the herb butter to help achieve crispy skin.
- You can substitute fresh herbs with dried herbs but reduce the quantity to 1 teaspoon each as dried herbs are more concentrated.
- Resting the chicken after roasting is key to juicy meat.
- Use a meat thermometer to ensure the chicken is cooked safely to 165°F.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 384 kcal
- Sugar: 0.04 g
- Sodium: 104 mg
- Fat: 29 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
- Trans Fat: 0.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 1 g
- Fiber: 0.3 g
- Protein: 27 g
- Cholesterol: 129 mg
