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upclose picture of spatchcock chicken drizzled with alabama white sauce

Spatchcock Chicken Recipe

This sheet pan spatchcock chicken with potatoes and onions is an easy one-pan dinner with crispy skin, juicy chicken, and perfectly roasted vegetables.
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Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 730kcal
Author: Ruth Truett

Equipment

Ingredients

Compound Butter

  • 6 tablespoon butter softened and I prefer salted
  • 1 tablespoon avocado oil plus more to drizzle
  • 2-3 tablespoon fresh chives minced
  • 3-4 cloves garlic grated
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
  • juice and zest of ½ a lemon

Chicken and Veggies

  • 1 whole fresh chicken see note below about size and cooking time
  • 1 large yellow onion cut into thick slices
  • 1½-2 lbs red potatoes quartered
  • kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Alabama White Sauce

Instructions

Spatchcock the Chicken

  • Place the chicken breast-side down. Using heavy-duty kitchen shears, cut along both sides of the backbone and remove it.
  • Flip the chicken over and press firmly on the breastbone until the bird lies completely flat.
  • Gently separate the skin from the breast, thighs, and drumsticks.

The Compound Butter and Veggies

  • Season the chicken all over with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
  • Mix the compound butter ingredients together. Spread about two-thirds of the butter under the skin of the breast, thighs, and drumsticks.
  • Place the chicken breast-side up on a sheet pan. Toss the potatoes and onions with the remaining compound butter and arrange them around the chicken, tucking some underneath. Drizzle lightly with avocado oil.
  • Roast uncovered in a 425°F oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the size of the chicken. Remove from the oven and let rest for about 10 minutes before carving.

Alabama White Sauce

  • While the chicken roasts, whisk the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Finish and Serving

  • After resting, carve the chicken into pieces and serve with the Alabama white sauce for dipping or drizzling.

Notes

  • Roasting time will vary. Spatchcock chickens can roast anywhere from 45 minutes to about 1 hour, depending on the size of the bird. The chicken used here was about 5½ pounds and took roughly an hour.
  • Use a thermometer. Pull the chicken from the oven around 160°F. As it rests, the temperature will rise about 5 degrees, landing right at the safe internal temperature of 165°F.
  • Alabama white sauce makes extra. The sauce recipe is intentionally generous because it’s great on more than just chicken. If you only want enough for this recipe, simply cut the ingredients in half.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 730kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 61g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 22g | Monounsaturated Fat: 19g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 141mg | Sodium: 1249mg | Potassium: 684mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 606IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 2mg
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