Roasted Lemon Garlic Butter Spatchcock Chicken
A juicy and flavorful spatchcock chicken roasted with lemon, garlic, and herb butter for crispy skin and tender meat perfect for both weeknights and special occasions.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Kosher
Ingredients
1 whole chicken (4–5 pounds)
Salt and pepper, to taste
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
4 cloves garlic, minced
Zest and juice from 1 lemon, plus extra lemon slices for garnish
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Spatchcock the chicken by cutting along both sides of the backbone with kitchen shears. Remove backbone and press firmly on breastbone to flatten.
- Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper.
- In a bowl, mix softened butter, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, parsley, rosemary, and thyme.
- Rub butter mixture under the skin, over the skin, and inside the cavity of the chicken.
- Place chicken skin-side up on a baking sheet or roasting pan.
- Roast 45–55 minutes, or until the thickest part of the breast reaches 165°F (74°C).
- Rest chicken for 10 minutes before carving. Garnish with lemon slices and extra herbs.
Notes
Add red pepper flakes to the butter for a spicy kick.
Swap rosemary or thyme for sage for seasonal flavor.
Sprinkle smoked paprika for a smoky note.
Rub butter mixture on chicken up to 24 hours in advance for easy prep.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion (about 6 oz chicken with skin)
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 0g
- Sodium: 380mg
- Fat: 27g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 2g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 40g
- Cholesterol: 145mg
