Cast Iron Spatchcock Chicken for Crispy, Juicy Meat
If you’ve ever roasted a whole chicken, you know how wonderful it is to bring a golden, beautifully cooked bird to the table. This cast iron spatchcock chicken gives you that same juicy meat and crispy skin in less time.
Spatchcocking is a simple technique that makes it possible. By removing the backbone and flattening the chicken, you help it cook more evenly, with more of the skin exposed to the heat. The result is tender, juicy meat, beautifully golden skin, and less time in the oven than roasting a whole chicken the traditional way.
For this recipe, we’re browning the chicken in a cast iron skillet on the stovetop before transferring it to the oven to finish roasting. It’s a straightforward way to make a delicious roast chicken, and the buttery pan juices are too good to leave behind!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Crispy, golden skin: Flattening the chicken exposes more of the skin to the heat, helping it brown beautifully.
- Juicy, tender meat: Spatchcocking helps the chicken cook more evenly, so the breast and thighs finish cooking more consistently.
- Simple ingredients: All you need is a whole chicken, butter, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- One skillet, less mess: Brown the chicken on the stovetop, then transfer the same cast iron skillet to the oven to finish roasting.
- Perfect for Sunday dinner: Serve it with roasted vegetables for a satisfying, homemade meal.
How to Spatchcock a Chicken
How to Cook Spatchcock Chicken in a Cast Iron Skillet
Cast Iron Spatchcock Chicken
Spatchcock chicken is prepared by removing the backbone and flattening the bird before cooking. This simple technique helps create crispy, golden skin and juicy, tender meat while reducing the cooking time compared to roasting a whole chicken.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F.
- Remove the backbone: Place the chicken breast-side down on a cutting board. Using sturdy kitchen shears, cut along both sides of the backbone from the tail to the neck. Remove the backbone and save it for homemade stock.
- Flatten the bird: Flip the chicken breast-side up. Press firmly on the center of the breastbone with the palm of your hand until you hear a crack and the chicken lies flat.
- Tuck the wings: Tuck the wing tips behind the chicken to help prevent them from burning during cooking.
- Position the legs: Turn the legs outward so they lie flat against the body of the chicken.
- Season: Pat the chicken dry and season the skin with salt and pepper
- Heat the skillet: Melt 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large cast iron skillet (I use a 14-inch skillet) over medium heat.
- Brown the chicken: Once the butter has melted and the skillet is hot, carefully place the chicken in the pan skin-side down. Cook for about 3 minutes without moving it, until the skin begins to turn golden brown. Season the other side with salt and pepper while the skin browns, if needed.
- Flip and roast: After 3 minutes, carefully flip the chicken so it is skin-side up. Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and roast for approximately 40–50 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken. Cook until the thickest part of the breast and the innermost part of the thigh reach at least 165°F, checking with a meat thermometer.
- Remove and rest the chicken: Remove the skillet from the oven and let the chicken rest for 5–10 minutes before carving. Spoon some of the flavorful pan juices over the chicken when serving.
Grabbing the base of each leg is helpful in lowering the bird into the hot pan as well as flipping it over.
Don't let those rich, buttery pan juices go to waste! Spoon them over the chicken just before serving. It's delicious!
Notes
Chicken size: Cooking time will vary depending on the size of the chicken. Always use a meat thermometer to confirm the chicken reaches 165°F.
This spatchcock chicken recipe pairs beautifully with our favorite Oven Roasted Veggies!
