Spice-Rubbed Spatchco*cked Chicken Recipe (2024)

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.

I have been spatchco*ck 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.

Loved this recipe.I buy whole chickens when they're on sale 1/2 price and splatchco*ck them for freezing. takes much less room in freezer and they thaw faster.

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.

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.

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 spatchco*cked 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).

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.

Love this recipe. Tastes wonderful every time.

The best chicken ever. Don’t change a thing except to put it on a bed of potatoes and onions… delicious

Add more chili powder, pepper. Also added Tony C’s

excellent and very easy. I made 1 modification out of necessity. I thought I had allspice at home but ran out. Looking at what I had and figured Chinese 5 Spice was probably a similar flavor profile. I didn’t want to overdo it so used just under a 1/4 tsp. I did everything else exactly the same & drizzled a bit of olive oil over the bird before cooking. It was really delicious - we could’ve eaten 2 of these, it was so tasty. Paired it with roasted carrots, roasted potatoes, arugula salad

With covered grill at about 350F start indirect (skin side up) and turn every 20 minutes. We call it “20-20-20”. Can’t miss!

This makes excellent chicken straight from the oven or grill. The downside is that the chicken is spiced with flavors that are challenging to pair with most leftover chicken recipes. The one thing I found that was great was barbecue chicken sandwiches made with a tomato based barbecue sauce and a quick napa slaw. The bay leaf flavor gets stronger on the leftover chicken and it is too sweet for most uses.

Roasted in 12” Skillet. Sliced lemons, 4 garlic cloves pealed. 1/2 cup chicken stock. Bring to boil then 400 degree convection for 40 minutes.