Spatchcocked Roast Chicken with Garlic and Lemon
Cutting out the backbone flattens the bird so it roasts in under an hour, skin gone crisp everywhere instead of just on top.
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 50 min
- Written
Method
-
Pat the chicken dry, season both sides heavily with salt and pepper, and let it sit uncovered at room temperature for 30 minutes.
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Heat the oven to 450°F with a rack in the upper third.
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Rub the chicken all over with olive oil, tuck the garlic and lemon halves underneath, and scatter the thyme over the skin.
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Lay the chicken skin-side up on a rimmed sheet pan, tucking the wing tips under, and roast until the skin is deep golden brown and a thigh reads 165°F, 45 to 55 minutes.
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Rest the chicken for 10 minutes before carving, so the juices settle back into the meat instead of onto the board.
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Squeeze the roasted lemon halves over the carved chicken and scatter with parsley.
Notes
Taking out the backbone lets the bird lie flat, so the breast and the thighs hit temperature at nearly the same time instead of the breast drying out while the legs catch up. It also doubles the skin exposed to direct heat, which is the whole reason this finishes in under an hour instead of the ninety-plus a trussed, upright bird needs.
Ask the butcher to spatchcock it if you don’t want to do it with shears yourself, and don’t toss the backbone — it goes straight into a freezer bag for the next stock. The pan juices under the bird are already a sauce; tip them over the carved meat and skip making a separate one.