Recipes for Whole Chicken – Spatchcock Style

A whole chicken is a great option for a gluten free meal. Whole chickens are typically one of the cheapest ways to purchase chicken. The first time you cook a whole chicken can be overwhelming. Butchering the raw whole chicken into various cuts appears complicated. But there is an easier way to cook a whole chicken, spatchcock style.

To spatchcock a chicken means to split open the chicken. This may also on occasion be referred to as a butterfly chicken in some recipes for whole chicken. A chicken is split open by removing the spine from the chicken. With the spine of the chicken removed the bird is opened and flattened.

One of the best things about a spatchcock chicken is the extra crispy skin. With the chicken split open and all the skin exposed all of the skin becomes crispy as it is not sitting on the bottom of the pan soaking in juice.

Recipes with Whole Chicken

A spatchcock chicken is one of the best ways to grill a whole chicken. Gilling a whole chicken can be a challenge to cook evenly without a rotisserie. By spatchcocking the chicken, the need for complicated equipment is eliminated.

A spatchcocked chicken is a more consistent thickness and leads to a more even cooking of the chicken, both the white and dark meat. This even cooking provides a moister meat that is not dried out in one area while undercooked in another.

The thinner consistent thickness of the meat also results in a faster cooking time.

Charcoal Grilled Whole Chicken

Grilling is a great cooking option for a gluten free diet. Grilling the chicken over charcoal may seem primitive but the results will speak for themselves. Cooking with charcoal provides a gentle smoked flavor and extra crispy skin. The aroma of the grilling chicken will make your mouth water.

For charcoal grilling, a kamado-style grill provides all three forms of heat transfer for cooking. My Kamado Joe grill has changed the way I view grilling and consistently produces amazing food. Coupled with a Meater wireless meat thermometer fantastic grill chicken is guaranteed.

Best Smoking Woods for Chicken

The best woods to use to add flavor when grilling your chicken are milder and subtle in their flavor. Avoid stronger flavored smoking woods like mesquite or hickory. Fruit woods like apple, cherry, or pecan produce a light smoke flavor not overpowering the chicken.

Smoked Spatchcock Turkey

The same principles and process used for a whole chicken can be applied to a turkey for a large holiday gathering. Where a chicken is great for small family meals

Smoked spatchcock Turkey provides enough meat for a larger gathering. The presentation of the spatchcock turkey will be different from the traditional Thanksgiving turkey. However, you will standout and impress your friends and family with your cooking skills and creativity. Be that memorable Thanksgiving turkey dinner that had the best tasting turkey, even if it looked a bit unusual.

Increase the cooking time in the recipes for whole chicken to 10 minutes per pound until an internal temperature of 170°F has been reached. An average 15lb turkey will take two and a half hours to fully cook. The shorter cooking time compare to a traditional roast turkey means less time in the kitchen preparing the holiday meal.

Recipe for Grilled Whole Chicken

Grill or Barbeque

INGREDIENTS

1 whole Chicken
Kosher Salt
Olive oil
BBQ Chicken Spice Rub

STEPS:

Using kitchen shears or a clean heavy pair of scissors remove the chicken backbone by making a cut on each side of the spine.
Open the chicken like a book and press down on the breast to flatten the chicken
Small slits in the skin can be made to tuck in the ends of the chicken legs to help to hold them in place.
Salt both sides of the chicken and let it rest in the fridge to for 24 hours tenderize the chicken for the ultimate flavor and moist meat and extra crispy skin.
Cover the chicken in olive oil to act as a spice binder and then cover in BBQ chicken spice rub
When ready to grill set the grill to approximately 400°F
Place the chicken on the grill skin side up
Cook to an internal temperature of 170°F, which will take approximately 30 minutes
Remove and let rest for 5 minutes,
Carve and serve your evenly cooked meat.

Recipe for Roast Whole Chicken

Oven cooking

INGREDIENTS

1 whole Chicken
Kosher Salt
Olive oil
Poultry Spice Blend

STEPS:

Using kitchen shears or a clean heavy pair of scissors remove the chicken backbone by making a cut on each side of the spine.
Open the chicken like a book and press down on the breast to flatten the chicken
Small slits in the skin can be made to tuck in the ends of the chicken legs to help to hold them in place.
Salt both sides of the chicken and let it rest in the fridge to tenderize the chicken for the ultimate flavor and moist meat and extra crispy skin.
Cover the chicken in olive oil to act as a spice binder and then cover in Poultry spice
When ready to roast set the over to approximately 400°F
Place the chicken on a baking sheet skin side up
Cook to an internal temperature of 170°F, which will take approximately 30 minutes
Remove and let rest for 5 minutes,
Carve and serve your evenly cooked meat.

Spatchcock Chicken

While your hands get a little dirty spatchcocking a chicken for the grill, the results are worth it. There is no better way to get an evenly cooked moist chicken on a grill. Let us know how your spatchcock chicken tasted.