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Spice-Rubbed Spatchcocked Chicken
![Spice-Rubbed Spatchcocked Chicken](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2017/06/07/dining/07APPE1/07APPE1-articleLarge.jpg?width=1280&quality=75&auto=webp)
- Total Time
- 1 hour, plus at least 2 hours' marinating
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
- 1chicken, 3½ to 4 pounds, patted dry
- 1tablespoon dark brown sugar
- 2½teaspoons kosher salt
- 1teaspoon ancho or New Mexico chile powder
- 1teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1teaspoon dry mustard powder
- 1teaspoon dried oregano
- ½teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼teaspoon ground allspice
- 2bay leaves, torn or cut into pieces
- Lime or lemon wedges, for serving
Preparation
- Step 1
Spatchcock the chicken by using poultry shears or kitchen scissors (or a sharp knife) to cut along one side of the backbone until the chicken opens. If you like you can cut along the other side of the backbone and remove it, or leave it attached to roast with the rest of the bird. Open up the bird and place it so it lies flat, breast side up. Press hard onto the center of the breast until you feel a pop, and the breast lies more or less flat.
- Step 2
In a small bowl, mix together sugar, salt, chile powder, paprika, mustard powder, oregano, pepper, allspice and bay leaves. Smear the mixture all over the chicken. Lay chicken, skin side up, on a rimmed baking sheet (or plate) and refrigerate uncovered for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.
- Step 3
Heat oven to 425 degrees. If the chicken isn’t on a rimmed baking sheet, transfer it to one. Roast chicken until the juices run clear when the thickest part of the thigh is pricked with a fork (an instant-read thermometer plunged into the thickest part of the breast will read 150), 40 to 50 minutes.
- Step 4
Remove from oven, cover bird with foil and let rest for 10 minutes before carving. Serve with lime or lemon wedges on the side.
Private Notes
Cooking Notes
Don't forget to run an oiled finger underneath the skin to separate it from the flesh all around. Maximize crispness. Fine in the oven but best on a charcoal grill, indirect, with a drip pan.
Smoke? Soaked wood chips, wrapped in pierced foil, placed on the coals.
You're welcome.
Without the sugar, it is not the same rub. If you don't want to add the sugar, don't. But then don't bother posting a review of THIS recipe because you won't be reviewing THIS recipe.
I have roasted our regular weekly chicken this way for years. I fully remove the backbones, "part that goes over the fence last" as well, and toss them in the freezer. After a few weeks, 3-4 backs, you have the makings of an especially nice stock. Lots of collagen, fat and flavor there.
There's also no explicit need for paprika, thyme, salt or pepper. Or even the chicken. It's all a matter of taste and preference. Still, the sugar plays an important part here, which is why it's included in the recipe: as it caramelizes, it helps to form a bark or crust on the skin. Sugar contributes flavor and texture and in the stated quantity, it imposes a negligible caloric load and no risk to even the most sugar-sensitive dieters.
This was so delicious it is going on our list of meals to serve to company. A few additions: I covered the oiled baking sheet with a bed of lemon slices 1/4" thick. Around the chicken I put small baby red potatoes tossed in olive oil, thyme, salt and pepper. After roasting for 40 minutes, I added a bunch of asparagus that I tossed in olive oil, salt and pepper. Be sure everything is resting on the lemon. It created an amazing sauce and two side dishes to serve with the chicken.
Loved this recipe. I buy whole chickens when they're on sale 1/2 price and splatchcock them for freezing. takes much less room in freezer and they thaw faster.
I have been spatchcock grilling chicken for years. I use a gas grill, indirect heat, and place a drip pan with a little water in it under the grate below the chicken. I flip it halfway through cooking, and sometimes direct cook it for 5 minutes at the end. Very tasty and moist.
Add a terrific side dish: cook the chicken on the top of a broiler pan, with new potatos below the grate on the bottom. The result is luxurious (if caloric) chicken fat basted potato.
Delicious! Cooked per the recipe, which is almost perfect. In the video, Melissa drizzles olive oil on the chicken prior to roasting. However the printed directions omit this step. Definitely do not skip adding a drizzle of olive oil. Otherwise, perfect.
Brown sugar adds a molasses note to the rub. I always put a tablespoon or two in my rubs depending on how much rub I am making. I used to leave sugar out but the rubs taste more rounded with the sugar as an ingredient.
I prefer to remove the backbone and use it for stock along with the wing tips.
Wonderful recipe, Easy to make, moist, juicy delicious. Short on time so marinated for about an hour. Can assume it will be better with more marinating. Suggest roasting on top of broiler pan. In the bottom of the pan place some thickly sliced potatoes drizzled with olive oil and sea salt. The drippings from the chicken will baste the potatoes which take on the flavor of the spices. I got the idea from the markets in France. The dish was a big hit with the entire family.
DEFINITELY no need for sugar. Thank you.
My son roasts spatchcocked chicken regularly. It's terrific. He uses smoked paprika, thyme, salt, pepper, and maybe a few other spices. There is certainly no need for sugar.
I would recommend putting the spices in the cavity of the bird first, and then flipping the bird to the position it will bake in and then rubbing spices on the top LAST (I think Melissa's video did it the other way, but when I spiced the top first and then spiced the cavity, a lot of the spices had gotten diluted and a bit soggy, even though I had dried off the chicken as thoroughly as I could).
The chicken skins appeared not to be crisp near the end of the cooking time but there were just enough juices to baste the chickens, they finished with a lovely crisp skin. My guests were quite impressed with this tasty dish. It'll be made again and again.
Indispensable! This has become a family and company favorite, especially for a summer gathering. And improvise! Other than the absolutely essential sugar/mustard powder/paprika, I make it slightly different every time. Particularly love to pop a lot of chopped fresh tarragon into the mix. Don’t forget to lift the skin and let the prepped chicken sit for a few hours in the fridge. Plenty of drippings in a sheet pan for final finish. Always great.
I’ve been making this recipe about 1-3 a month. This weekend my brother was visiting and he smashed up garlic cloves that we put under the skin before adding the rub. I will never do this without the garlic! I also make twice the rub and keep it in a shake bottle… so easy!
This is crack, so unbelievably delicious! Added a teaspoon of cinnamon to the rub. The sugar plays a key role in caramelization and crisping of the skin. Halfway through the baking time, I also added largely chopped potatoes and carrots to the pan to soak up that juicy goodness.
Also delicious on the grill. I started skin up with indirect heat for 45 minutes and 10 minutes skin down over the fire.
Melissa is right. Spatchcocked chicken was better than a whole roast chicken. Bell and Evans chicken. 40 min cooking time was prefect. used my own spice rub with chipotle chili powder, paprika, garlic, salt, pepper olive oil.
So good. Used spices exactly as indicated in recipe (I had ancho chile powder). Dark brown sugar was excellent — and not at all overly sweet. After spatchcocking chicken, I placed it in a large bowl to rub spice blend all over it. I think spices coat chicken better this way. Sheet of foil on baking sheet to make cleanup easier. Used meat probe thermometer set to target temperature. It took about 42 minutes to reach 150. Be sure to use quality spices
Made again in 2024. Followed recipe exactly. Perfect in 46 minutes. Loved it.
This was great. Bird took about 48 minutes in a 425 oven
Used this rub for skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs. Only ingredient change was using chipotle chili powder (a little less than directed) since I was out of regular chili powder. The overall taste was spicy but not too hot. I followed the same basic cooking instructions in the recipe. Loved it. Easy, tasty and tender!
30 minutes more than enough to cook to temp! glad i checked a 40 min or we would have not had a dinner!
I used this lovely rub on 3 dry-brined boneless and skinless chicken breasts and roasted them on an oiled quarter sheet pan at 425F. They were excellent, juicy and flavorful. On the other side of the oven rack, I made David Tanis's patatas bravas in a cast iron pan. Great combination. Will use some of the leftover garlicky oil for roasting a cauliflower and some sliced carrots and onions.
A great rub with pantry ingredients. Would work well with slow cooked pork shoulder.
425 is too hot. Skin burns.
This recipe needs to be at least doubled for a 4 to 5 pound chicken.
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