Looking for the best way to grill spatchcock chicken? You found it!
If there’s one thing I’m really good at, it’s chicken. Like if I had to save my life by grilling something, it would for sure be chicken and one of my favorite things to do is grill spatchcock chicken. What does that mean exactly? Ask your butcher at the meat counter for a spatchcock chicken. They’ll remove the backbone and give you a whole chicken that lays flat. These stack easy in the freezer, they thaw quick than a whole chicken, and they’re perfect for grilling!
Also photographed: Lemon Parmesan Grilled Asparagus and Cheddar Mashed Potatoes.
This is one of my all-time favorite chicken recipes. The skin gets so crispy and the meat is so, so juicy. It’s so easy to make too! All you have to do is marinate the chicken in fresh lemon juice and lemon zest with a bit of olive oil and fresh herbs.
It’s mind blowing that I’m just now posting this, as this is one of the main ways I grill chicken in my personal life. I realized recently that it only existed on therosetable.com as my Romeo & Juliet Chicken served with two kinds of pesto!
Lemon Rosemary Whole Grilled Chicken
1 small whole chicken (3-4 lbs), backbone removed
1 large lemon
1/4 cup olive oil
2 rosemary sprigs, 3 thyme sprigs
Sea salt, black pepper
- Rinse chicken and pat dry.
- In a baking dish, whisk together zest and juice from one lemon, olive oil, and chopped fresh rosemary and thyme. Set chicken in the dish, turning several times to coat, leaving skin side down to marinate. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate 3-4 hours or overnight.
- Heat charcoal or gas grill. (Take chicken out of fridge 20 minutes before you’re ready to grill.) Flip skin-side up and season skin well with sea salt and pepper.
- For charcoal grill: Grill on indirect heat (not directly over the coals) skin-side up for about 12-15 minutes with the lid closed. Flip and grill skin-side down on in direct heat for 12-15 minutes. Transfer directly over the coals and grill for 5-10 minutes until beautifully golden. Check the temperature with a meat thermometer. Transfer to a cutting board when the breast hits 165 degrees Fahrenheit. (Finish on indirect heat if internal temperature is not yet at 165.)
- For gas grill, grill over a low flame with the other flames set too high. Follow the same directions as above using the low flame as your indirect heat. Raise that flame to high and lower the other flames for the last 5-10 minutes. Grill until the internal temperature of the breast hits 165 degrees.
- Let rest for 5 minutes. Carve into four pieces: breasts, wings, and thighs/legs.
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Happy grilling,
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