My absolute favorite way to grill chicken is a whole spatchcock grilled chicken! If you ever get frustrated that your grilled chicken is dry or not flavorful, then you should definitely try a whole grilled spatchcock. I teamed up with Amanda from @meowmeix on Instagram for this recipe and tutorial!

Why Spatchcock a Chicken:

  • A spatchcocked chicken will have more even cooking. A whole chicken usually means you have to overcook the chicken breast before the thighs are done cooking. By butterflying the chicken / spatchcocking, the breast and thighs cook at a rate for optimal doneness at the same time.
  • More skin surface area for browning. Since all the skin is facing up, it means all the skin can get golden brown and delicious, unlike a whole roast bird where only half the skin gets golden.
  • It is perfect for grilling because the bones are on one side. So you cook the chicken bone side down 95% of the way on the grill so the meat is protected from the heat and not overcooked.

How to Spatchcock a Chicken:

  • Take a whole chicken and pat dry with paper towels.
  • Cut out the spine, directly left and right of the spine with sharp kitchen shears.
  • Lay it bone side down and flatten, pressing the breast section down so it is as flat as possible.

Key Steps to Grilling a Whole Spatchcocked Chicken:

  • Season the chicken at least an hour before on both sides and up to 1 day before.
  • Heat your grill where one side is high heat, the other is very low heat. This can be done on gas or charcoal grill.
  • Make sure to spray grill with nonstick oil spray or oil prior to adding the chicken.
  • Sear chicken skin side down on the hot side for 2-3 minutes to get a char.
  • Cook the chicken bone side down the remainder of the time on the low heat side until it hits proper internal temperatures.
@kellyscleankitchen

How to grill a whole chicken 🔥 ⬇️ @Amanda (Meixner) Rocchio and i paired up to make the best grilled chicken! Ingredients: * 1 chicken, spatchcocked (check out my last video to see how to spatchcock) * 2 tbsp salt * 2 tbsp garlic powder * 1 tbsp ground pepper * 2 tbsp smoked paprika * 2 tsp chipotle powder * 1 tsp chili powder * oil for the grill #grilledchicken #chicken #spatchcocking #grilling

♬ original sound – Chef Kelly Scott
  • SERVINGS:  4
  • PREP TIME: 10 Mins
  • ACTIVE TIME: 55 Mins
  • TOTAL TIME: 1 Hr 5 Minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1 chicken, spatchcocked
  • 2 tbsp salt
  • 2 tbsp garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp ground pepper
  • 2 tbsp smoked paprika
  • 2 tsp chipotle powder
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • oil for the grill

Preparation:

STEP 1.

Prepare your chicken. Mix all the seasonings and coat on both sides of the chicken. I do this the day before and let it sit in the fridge overnight for optimal flavor, but if not do it 1 hour before grilling.

STEP 2.

Heat your grill to one side high heat, one side low heat. If you are using charcoal, place all the lit charcoals on one side of the grill. Let the grill heat for 10-15 minutes.

STEP 3.

Spray the grill with high smoke point oil / coat with high smoke point oil and a towel so the chicken does not stick. Lay the chicken, skin side down, over the hot side of the grill and cook for 2-5 minutes until you see a char. Flip over so the bones are facing down, and place it on the low temperature side. Cook for 45 minutes with a lid on.

STEP 4.

After 45 minutes, temp the breast and the thighs with an internal meat thermometer. Pull the chicken off the heat when the breast reads 155-160*F, and when the thighs ready 165*F or above. Thighs are ideally 170*F-180s*F. If it isn’t at that temp yet, keep cooking until it reaches that range.

STEP 5.

Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Enjoy!

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