How to Spatchcock a Chicken: Step by Step Guide
Spatchcocking a chicken is one of those kitchen skills that can sound much more complicated than it actually is. Once you know how to do it, it takes just a few minutes and is a brilliant way to cook a whole chicken more quickly and evenly.
At Yarrow Cookery School in East Lothian, it is a technique we come back to again and again. Removing the backbone and flattening the chicken helps it cook more evenly and also makes it much easier to get marinades and flavourings underneath the skin.
Richard shows you exactly how to do it below.
First, watch Richard demonstrate how to spatchcock a whole chicken:
Then watch Richard show you how to marinate it:
What does spatchcock mean?
To spatchcock a chicken simply means removing the backbone and opening the bird out so that it lies flat.
It might sound like an advanced bit of butchery, but it is actually incredibly straightforward to do at home. Once you know how, it only takes a few minutes.
Flattening the chicken helps the breast and legs cook more evenly and also makes it much easier to get marinades and flavour underneath the skin.
Why spatchcock a chicken?
There are a few reasons we love this technique at Yarrow.
It cooks more evenly. This is the big one. When you roast a whole chicken traditionally, the breast can easily become dry while you're waiting for the legs to finish cooking. Spatchcocking flattens the bird so everything cooks much more evenly, helping you get juicy breast meat as well as properly cooked legs.
It cooks more quickly. Because the chicken is flattened out rather than sitting as a whole bird, it cooks more quickly too. Particularly useful when you're feeding a crowd or kids.
You can get much more flavour into it. Spatchcocking makes it easy to gently loosen the skin and work your marinade underneath, getting all those herbs, spices and aromatics directly onto the meat rather than just sitting on top of the skin.
You can get beautifully crisp skin. One of Richard's favourite tips is to put the marinade underneath the skin rather than all over it. Keep the outside relatively dry, add just a drizzle of oil and the skin has a much better chance of becoming beautifully crisp in the oven.
It's brilliant for sharing. A whole spatchcock chicken looks fantastic brought straight to the table. Add a few generous salads, roast vegetables, flatbreads or crispy potatoes and you have a great meal for friends and family.
How to spatchcock a chicken
You will need:
• 1 whole chicken
• A sturdy chopping board
• A sharp knife or a good pair of kitchen scissors
Step 1: Place the chicken breast side down
Place the chicken breast side down on a secure chopping board, with the legs pointing towards you. You should be able to see and feel the backbone running down the centre of the bird.
Step 2: Remove the backbone
Using a sharp knife or strong kitchen scissors, carefully cut down one side of the backbone from the tail towards the neck.
Repeat on the other side and remove the backbone completely.
Richard's tip: Don't throw it away. Pop the backbone into a stock.
Step 3: Open the chicken out
Open the chicken out like a book, then turn it over so the breast is facing upwards.
Step 4: Flatten the chicken
Place the heel of your hand firmly over the centre of the breastbone and press down until the chicken flattens.
That's it. Your chicken is spatchcocked and ready to marinate.
How to marinate a spatchcock chicken
This is where the technique really comes into its own.
Rather than covering the outside of your chicken in marinade, gently loosen the skin and work the marinade underneath. This gets all that flavour directly onto the meat while keeping the outside of the skin relatively dry.
Once you've added the marinade underneath, all you need on the outside is a drizzle of oil. This is one of the secrets to getting lovely crisp skin rather than soft skin covered in wet marinade.
Watch Richard's second video above to see exactly how he does it.
How to cook a spatchcock chicken
At Yarrow, we cook our spatchcock chicken at 190°C fan / 210°C conventional.
The exact cooking time will depend on the size of your chicken and your oven, so rather than relying on time alone, use a meat thermometer. Check the thickest part of the thigh and make sure it has reached 75°C before serving.
Once cooked, let the chicken rest before carving. Don't skip this bit. Resting allows the juices to redistribute through the meat rather than running straight out when you cut into it.
What to serve with spatchcock chicken
One of the reasons we love spatchcock chicken is how versatile it is.
For a relaxed sharing table, serve it with homemade flatbreads, colourful salads, roast vegetables and a good yoghurt or herb sauce.
In summer, we love it with tomatoes, herbs and plenty of fresh leaves. As the weather gets cooler, serve it with roast root vegetables, crispy potatoes and proper homemade gravy.
It's also a brilliant way to cook when you're feeding a larger group. You can spatchcock and marinate your chickens ahead of time, meaning much less work to do once everyone arrives.
A skill you'll use again and again
Learning to spatchcock a chicken is exactly the kind of kitchen skill we love teaching at Yarrow. Good cooking doesn't need to be complicated. A few simple techniques can make a huge difference to both your confidence and the food you put on the table.
Once you've spatchcocked a chicken a couple of times, you'll wonder why you ever roasted one any other way.
At Yarrow Cookery School in Longniddry, East Lothian, our hands on cookery classes are all about learning practical skills and techniques that you'll take home and use again and again.
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