Lemon Thyme Spatchcock Chicken

byBeth Le Manach
0 Comments
byBeth Le Manach This post may contain affiliate links.
Jump to Recipe

This lemon thyme spatchcock chicken is a fantastic way to serve a roast chicken and a side of potatoes when entertaining.

It looks beautiful when presented all together on a platter, and it’s a lot easier to carve at the table than a whole chicken. It’s a sheet pan dinner idea that creates a main, a side, and a beautiful sauce all on one pan!

For more sheet pan dinners try my Roast Chicken Legs, Potatoes and Veggies, Roast Chicken Thighs and Couscous or my Thanksgiving Sheet Pan Dinner!

spatchcock chicken with lemon and thyme
Spatchcock chicken makes a lovely presentation on a platter with the potatoes and caramelized shallots.

The Ingredients:

  • Whole Chicken a 4-pound whole chicken works best for this recipe. I like to buy kosher chickens because the salt cleaning works like a brine, making the chicken tender and juicy.
  • Melted Butter I use salted American butter. Be sure it’s cooled before putting it under the skin of the chicken or it will start to “cook” the chicken before you are ready!
  • Fresh Thyme To creating an herb butter that will go under the skin. You could also use rosemary if you prefer.
  • Lemon + Lemon Zest The lemon zest will flavor the butter, and the lemons get sliced and roasted alongside the chicken which creates a lovely pan sauce.
  • Yukon Gold Potatoes These are the best potatoes to use for roasting because they are a waxy potato (unlike a Russet potato which is a starchy potato. They are great for mashed potatoes (or for making gnocchi!) but a waxy potato will hold its shape when roasting, unlike the russet which will fall apart.
  • Olive Oil For brushing on top of the chicken skin before it roasts to create a crispy skin, and for tossing the potatoes and shallots in before the roast.
  • Herb de Provence for seasoning the potatoes and shallots.
  • Shallots are a great compliment to the potatoes once they are roasted. 
  • Garlic to flavor the potatoes.
a raw whole chicken, thyme, salt and potatoes along with other ingredients on a counter
Easy to find, affordable ingredients come together to create something truly delicious and elegant.

Step#1: Remove the Backbone

  • Spatchcock chicken is a style of cooking chicken flat on a pan.
  • In order to flatten a whole chicken, the backbone needs to be removed.
  • It’s easier to do than you may think, and doesn’t require much skill.
  • Just flip the bird breast side down. Find the backbone, and cut along either side of it with sharp kitchen shears, until it’s removed. Then discard it.
  • Your chicken will now be able to fold open and lay flat on the pan.
Kitchen shears cutting the backbone out of a whole chicken.
Use kitchen shears to cut out the backbone and lay the chicken open and flat.

Step#2: Season the Chicken

  • The chicken gets seasoned with thyme butter, lemon zest, salt and pepper.
  • The herb butter will be placed under the skin of the breasts and the legs (watch the video demo below to see how it’s done)
  • Place the chicken on top of the zested lemon slices. Since they are the more “unsightly lemons” this is a good use for them. Reserve the whole lemon slices for the pan since they will add to the sauce and be pretty as a garnish to the chicken.
  • Then brush olive oil over the skin to make it crispy, season with more salt and pepper, and thyme.
  • Add the seasoned potatoes, cut the side down, the shallots, and the lemon slices.
a whole chicken on a sheet pan with potatoes, lemon and shallots ready for the oven.
Spread the veggies and lemon slices out on the pan to give them room to roast, instead of steam up.

Step#3: Roast and Plate

  • The chicken will take about 1 1/2 hours to roast which is the perfect amount of time for drinks and snacks as you entertain your guests before dinner.
  • Once the chicken is done the potatoes will be fork tender.
  • Place the chicken on a large platter. Then nestle the roasted potatoes around. Place the shallots in and among the potatoes or on top.
  • Place the caramelized lemon slices on top of the chicken.
  • Then discard the lemon slices that were placed under the chicken.
  • Whisk together the pan sauce and pour it over the chicken.
a roasted chicken on a sheet pan with potatoes, shallots and lemon, along with a pan sauce.
Once roasted a lovely pan sauce develops and the lemon slices make for great garnishes too.

Spatchcock Chicken is Easy to Carve

  • Unlike a whole roasted chicken that can be messy to carve tableside, spatchcock chicken is much easier to carve!
  • The legs come off easily, since you just have to cut through the joint, and once the legs are removed it’s easier to slice off the breast meat.
  • Serve each guest 2-3 potatoes and a drizzle of the pan sauce.
a plate with a single roasted chicken leg and potatoes.
a platter of spatchcock chicken and potatoes.

Lemon Thyme Spatchcock Chicken

Yield: serves 4
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours

This lemon thyme spatchcock chicken is a fantastic way to serve roast chicken and potatoes when entertaining. It's a sheet pan dinner idea that creates a main, a side, and a beautiful sauce all on one pan!

Ingredients

  • One 4-lb (1.8 kg) whole chicken
  • 4 tbsp (60 ml) salted American butter, melted
  • 3 tbsp (45 ml) chopped fresh thyme, separated
  • 2 lemons
  • 2 tsp (10 ml) kosher salt
  • Freshly crack pepper, for top too
  • Olive oil spray

For Potatoes:

  • 1.5 lbs (680 g) Large Yukon Gold Potatoes (about 4), peeled and cut in half
  • 2 shallots, quartered
  • 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
  • 1 tsp (5 ml) Herbs de Provence
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • Kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375F (180C)
  2. To the melted butter, add 2 tbsp (30 ml) of fresh thyme, 2 tsp (10 ml) of salt, freshly cracked pepper and 1 tbsp (15 ml) of lemon zest. Set aside.
  3. Flip the chicken over on its breast side to expose the backbone.
  4. Using kitchen shears cut alongside the backbone, on each side, and then remove it. Then flatten the chicken on a heavy bottom sheet pan.
  5. Loosen the skin covering the legs and the breast meat.
  6. Spoon the melted butter under the skin of the legs and breasts (about 1 tbsp per chicken part, reserving 1 1/2 tbsp for each breast).
  7. Slice the zested lemon into 4-5 slices and place them under the chicken and set aside.
  8. In a large bowl add the olive oil, herbs de Provence, garlic and salt and pepper. Whisk to combine.
  9. Add the potatoes and shallots to the bowl and toss to combine.
  10. Add the potatoes, cut side down, to the sheet pan. Then nestle the shallots around.
  11. Slice the second lemon into 4-5 slices and place them on the sheet pan as well.
  12. Spray the chicken with olive oil spray or 1 tsp (5 ml) of olive oil. Top with salt, freshly cracked pepper, and the remaining tablespoon of thyme.
  13. Roast for 1 hour and 20-30 minutes.
  14. Place the chicken on a large, deep serving platter, nestle the potatoes around the chicken, and top with the shallots and caramelized lemons.
  15. Whisk the pan sauce together on the pan, and pour it over the chicken and potatoes.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 461Total Fat: 33gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 19gCholesterol: 110mgSodium: 530mgCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 3gSugar: 3gProtein: 23g
© Beth Le Manach
Cuisine: American / Category: Main Dishes
Brownie cake scooped into a mug with ice cream

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.