This Roast Spatchcock Chicken is everything you love about juicy, roast chicken without the effort! It’s roasted to golden brown, crispy perfection with an array of root vegetables, for an easy, comforting one pot dinner. It cooks up in about one hour, and the whole family will love it!

Spatchcock roasted chicken and vegetables in cast iron skillet.

Comfort food comes in so many forms, but it really doesn’t get much better than a roast chicken dinner, does it?

I prepare my sheet pan chicken thighs often during the week because provides all of the comfort of a leisurely Sunday dinner and it’s done in a fraction of the time.

This easy roast spatchcock chicken goes even further as it includes an entire butterflied chicken that cooks up crisp and juicy over a bed of potatoes and vegetables in about one hour. If you’re lucky, you’ll even have leftovers.

Winner winner, chicken dinner! 🙂

If you prefer the classics, be sure to try my lemon garlic roasted chicken!

Cast iron skillet roasted spatchcock chicken.
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Why you’ll love this recipe

  • Roasting a spatchcock chicken creates perfectly golden brown and crispy skin while keeping the meat juicy.
  • There’s minimal prep involved, and most of it may be done in advance.
  • It’s a family friendly dinner that’s also elegant enough for entertaining.
  • This meal is naturally gluten free, and it can be changed up with your favorite root vegetables.

Recipe ingredients

This cast iron skillet spatchcock roast chicken recipe includes simple ingredients which can be customized with what you already have on hand.

  • Chicken. Use a whole 3.5- 4 lb. whole chicken for this recipe. You can save yourself some time by asking your butcher to spatchcock the chicken for you, or see my post on how to spatchcock a chicken in 4 simple steps!
  • Spices. The chicken is simply seasoned with smoked paprika, salt and pepper. You can certainly substitute it with your favorite seasoning or dry rub. (Try this bbq chicken rub or blackening seasoning!)
  • Root vegetables. Be sure to use nice, hardy vegetables that won’t cook up too quickly in this recipe. I used a combination of baby potatoes, carrots, parsnips and fennel, but feel free to substitute with your favorite. See my roasted root vegetables recipe for a complete list of viable options.
  • Thyme. Substitute the thyme with your favorite herbs such as rosemary, oregano, or herbs de provence.

See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and quantities.

How to roast a spatchcock chicken

This spatchcock roast chicken recipe is easy to follow, and most of the prep may be done in advance.

Pro tip: The carrots, parsnips and fennel may be prepped in advance. Use small baby potatoes as they’re the perfect size; just add them to the vegetables and toss with the oil and herbs.

See the recipe card below for full instructions.

Photo collage showing a spatchcock chicken before oven roasting
  • Spatchcock the chicken (see my post on How to Spatchcock a Chicken for step by step instructions). From there, loosen the skin over the breast meat. Combine the herbs, spices, and olive oil, and rub the mixture under the skin of the breast meat, then all over the chicken. 
  • Toss the vegetables with olive oil, thyme, salt and pepper, and place in the skillet around the chicken. Roast for 45 minutes to one hour at 400 degrees F, depending on the weight of your chicken, or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers at 165 degrees.

Recipe FAQs

How should you cook a spatchcock chicken?

Oven roasting spatchcock chicken at a high temperature of 400 degrees F in a large rimmed baking sheet or cast iron skillet is the best cooking method.

The low sides of these pans ensures maximum exposure of the entire chicken, which results in evenly golden brown, crispy skin.

How long should you roast a spatchcock chicken?

Cook for 45 minutes at 400 degrees F, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers at 165 degrees F.

Cooking time will vary depending on the size of your chicken.

How much quicker does a spatchcock chicken cook?

Spatchcock chicken cooks up to 25% faster because it cooks evenly at a higher temperature of 400 degrees F. You can expect a 3 1/2 – 4 lb. chicken to be done in about 45 minutes!

Do you flip spatchcock chicken?

There is no need to flip spatchcock chicken during the cooking time as this method results in perfect, evenly cooked chicken.

Serving suggestions

If roasting the spatchcock chicken with root vegetables as suggested, you’ve already made a complete one pan meal! If roasting just the chicken itself, serve it with one of the following side dishes.

Recipe notes

  • Pro tip: You can spatchcock the chicken 1-2 days in advance, or ask your butcher to do it for you.
  • A 3-4 lb. chicken works perfectly for this spatchcock roast chicken recipe. Cooking time depends on the weight of your chicken and your oven temperature (they all vary). Check the temperature after 45 minutes of cooking time and baste the vegetables with the chicken juices if necessary to keep from burning.
  • If the chicken browns too quickly, cover with foil for the remainder of the cooking time.
  • Change up this recipe by using your favorite potatoes or vegetables, or try different spice rubs, herbs, garlic and citrus!
  • Spatchcocking isn’t just for chicken! Be sure to try my spatchcock turkey next Thanksgiving. It cooks up to juicy, golden brown perfection every single time in about an hour and a half!
Roasted spatchcocked chicken and vegetables in cast iron skillet.

More easy chicken dinners you’ll love

Did you try this recipe?  If so, be sure to leave a review below and tag me @flavorthemoments on Facebook and Instagram

Spatchcock roasted chicken and vegetables in cast iron skillet.

Oven Roasted Spatchcock Chicken

This roast spatchcock chicken is everything you love about juicy, roast chicken without the effort! It's an easy one pot dinner that the entire family will love, and it cooks up in about an hour!
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Ingredients

  • 3.5 pounds whole chicken
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 lb. baby potatoes halved if on the large side
  • 2 medium carrots chopped into 1/2″ chunks
  • 2 medium parsnips chopped into 1/2″ chunks
  • 1 fennel bulb halved and sliced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves or 2 teaspoons dried

Instructions 

  • Spatchcock the chicken or ask your butcher to do it for you. This may be done 1-2 days in advance. (Access full instructions on how to spatchcock a chicken by clicking the link shared.) Allow the chicken to come to room temperature for 30 minutes prior to cooking.
    3.5 pounds whole chicken
  • Combine 2 tablespoons olive oil with the paprika, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Rub all over the chicken and underneath the skin onto the breast meat.
    3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the chicken in a large cast iron skillet or a rimmed baking sheet. Toss the potatoes, carrots, parsnips and fennel with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, thyme, salt and pepper to taste, then place the them in the skillet around the chicken.
    1 lb. baby potatoes, 2 medium carrots, 2 medium parsnips, 1 fennel bulb, 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves or 2 teaspoons dried
  • Roast the chicken for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers at 165 degrees F. If the chicken begins to brown too quickly, cover it with loosely with foil for the remainder of the cooking time.
  • Remove from the oven and cover loosely with foil and allow to rest for 10-15 minutes before carving. In my experience, the chicken is so tender it comes right off without a knife like a rotisserie chicken! Carve and enjoy!

Notes

  1. Pro tip: You can spatchcock the chicken 1-2 days in advance, or ask your butcher to do it for you.
  2. A 3-4 lb. chicken works perfectly for this spatchcock roast chicken recipe. Cooking time depends on the weight of your chicken and your oven temperature (they all vary). Check the temperature after 45 minutes of cooking time and baste the vegetables with the chicken juices if necessary to keep from burning.
  3. Change up this recipe using your favorite potatoes or vegetables, or try different spice rubs, herbs, garlic and citrus!  Pro tip:  Use baby potatoes as they’re the perfect size!
    Spatchcocking isn’t just for chicken! Be sure to try my spatchcock turkey next Thanksgiving. It cooks up to juicy, golden brown perfection every single time in about an hour and a half!

Nutrition

Calories: 600kcal, Carbohydrates: 19g, Protein: 56g, Fat: 32g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 21g, Cholesterol: 175mg, Sodium: 448mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 3g

Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.

Did you try this recipe?Be sure to tag @flavorthemoments with the hashtag #flavorthemoments on Instagram so I can see what you made!

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