The best way to grill a whole chicken! Making a Spatchcock Chicken on the Grill is surprisingly easy and simple. Cut your time in half by cutting out the backbone and laying your chicken flat, it makes a delicious meal the whole family can enjoy!
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How to Cook a Whole Chicken on the Grill
Spatchcocking (or butterfly) cutting a chicken is one of those ideas that I think are lost on a lot of home cooks because it just sounds harder than it is.
Cooking a whole chicken is a great and usually very easy way to make a meal, if you love cooking up a whole chicken try a Spatchcock Roast Chicken, Smoked Pineapple Stand Chicken, or an Easy Roast Chicken with Vegetables.
What does Spatchcock mean?
Spatchcock in the simplest form means a chicken split open by taking out its back bone so it lays flat. This helps the chicken cook evenly and in most cases more quickly.
Chicken isn’t the only thing that can be spatchcocked, turkey can be as well! Give it a try with a turkey and make Traegar Smoked Spatchcock Turkey.
Some people will also call this butterfly cutting a chicken and although it technically isn’t wrong the term spatchcock is more accurate in the case. Butterfly cutting refers to any piece of meat being cut in two but still connected. So for example you can butterfly cut just a single chicken breast or pork chop.
So now that you know exactly what it means let’s talk about how any why.
Why Should I Spatchcock My Chicken?
Chickens can be a tricky food to grill if left whole. They either have to sit up or turned a lot making it near impossible to get an even cook. Spatchcocking solves all of that. By opening the chicken up you get a perfect even cook and in a much shorter amount of time as well as a much crisper skin.
And while in the post I cover grilling a chicken this same method applies to if you wanted to roast your chicken in the oven as well.
How to Spatchcock a Chicken
It sounds so complicated right?! It really can be described in a few sentences.
Start off by patting the chicken dry with a paper towel, do not rise off. Place the chicken back bone side up on a cutting board. Use a sharp knife or kitchen shears to cut the backbone out of chicken. I honestly recommend the kitchen shears, it makes this even easier! Once the backbone is out flip the chicken over and press down on the upper breasts to lay flat.
If you are more of a visual person I made you a quick video!
Grilling a Spatchcock Chicken on the Grill
Now that you opened your chicken up don’t worry grilling it is almost just as easy!
Preheat the grill to high heat.
Drizzle the chicken with oil and rub over. Now sprinkle the chicken generously with kosher salt (and pepper or other spices if you see fit).
Place the chicken skin side down on the hot grill. Cook 8 – 10 minutes until the skin of the chicken appears golden brown.
Carefully flip the chicken over and turn the grill down to medium-low. This is the most challenging part of the whole recipe, do so slowly and carefully. I recommened using two grilling tools to help, for example a tongs to guide and a spatula to flip. The chicken might start falling apart on you if it is cooking quickly so no need to rush through it. I have found if you have enough space on your grill it is easiest to flip it over in the direction of the head end, it is more of a roll over this way instead of a huge flip.
Once your chicken is flipped cook another 30 to 35 minutes, this will depend fully on the size of your chicken having a nice meat thermometer is key. The breast should reach a temperature of at least 165º F and the thigh should reach a temerature of at least 180º F. If you need a nice meat thermometer I swear by my Thermoworks Thermapen, it is a little bit of an investment but to me has been so so worth it with its speed and accuracy!
Once the chicken is done transfer to a cutting board or platter and let rest 10 minutes before carving.
pro tip
Make it a Meal: So you have a Whole Grilled Chicken and now you are in the need of some sides?!? You can’t go wrong with a salad. I suggest either my Antipasto Salad for the traditional greens salad or my ‘Healthier’ Bacon Ranch Potato Salad for a fun twist. A good vegetable for the side is always great option you could try Blackened Corn, Oven Roasted Broccoli, or Grilled Artichokes. If you are looking for a starch or carb for the side try it with my Rice Pilaf with Cranberries or my Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes! You can seriously go so many directions with a whole grilled chicken!
tips, tricks and questions
Can I marinade or use seasonings on my chicken?
Absolutely! This post is meant to give you a starting off point. While I will admit something about an absolute plain chicken (including salt of course) is so so amazing you can use this basic kitchen skill to make the chicken how you want it!
If you like this Grilled Spatchcocked Chicken Recipe you might also like:
Grilled Spatchcock Chicken
The best way to grill a whole chicken! Making a spatchcock chicken on the grill is suprisingly easy and simple. Cut your time in half by cutting out the backbone and laying your chicken flat, it makes a delicous meal the whole family can enjoy!
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken (4-6 pounds)
- 3-5 tablespoons Cooking Oil (high heat like canola, vegetable, or refined olive oil work well)
- Kosher Salt
Instructions
- Preheat grill to high heat.
- Pat chicken dry with a paper towel. Place the chicken back bone side up on a cutting board. Use a sharp knife or kitchen shears to cut the backbone out of chicken. Once the backbone is out flip the chicken over and press down to lay flat.
- Drizzle with oil and rub over the chicken. Sprinkle the chicken generously with kosher salt.
- Place the chicken skin side down on the hot grill. Cook 8 - 10 minutes until the skin of the chicken appears golden brown.
- Carefully flip the chicken over* and turn the grill down to medium-low. Cook another 30 to 35 minutes, this will depend fully on the size of your chicken having a nice meat thermometer is key. The breast should reach a temperature of at least 165º F and the thigh should reach a temerature of at least 180º F.
- Once done transfer the chicken to a platter and let rest 10 minutes before carving.
Notes
*This is the most challenging part of the whole recipe, do so slowly and carefully. I recommened using two grilling tools to help, for example a tongs to guide and a spatula to flip. The chicken might start falling apart on you if it is cooking quickly so no need to rush through it. I have found if you have enough space on your grill it is easiest to flip it over in the direction of the head end, it is more of a roll over this way instead of a huge flip.
Once you have the basics down for how to spatchcock a full chicken you should absoutely play around with marinades, rubs, and sauces!
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1 breast, thigh, or drumstickAmount Per Serving: Calories: 259Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 88mgSodium: 179mgCarbohydrates: 0gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 27g
Nutritional data is automated, final nutritional information will depend on ingredients used and any changes made.
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Hi Lauren… just curious if you’ve ever tried dry brining your chicken. After spatchcocking the chicken pat it dry and cover the skin generously with kosher salt. Then set it on a rack on top of a cookie sheet and refrigerate for 6-8 hours. Dry brining can be used regardless of the cooking method. Absolutely worth the time and minimal effort.
Kind regards,
Nick
Yes! I love dry brining. I actually have a whole turkey recipe for dry brining here, https://theschmidtywife.com/dry-brined-turkey/ and I think the exact same method could and should be used for spatchcocking a chicken! Thanks for sharing Nick!