This article may contain one or more independently chosen Amazon affiliate links. See full disclosure.
A spatchcock or spatchcocked chicken is a chicken with the backbone removed and cut so that it will lay flat. This allows the chicken to be spread out or opened up like a book, which makes it cook more quickly and evenly. Spatchcock chickens are perfect for grilling but they can also be broiled or baked quite successfully. You’ll have perfectly cooked chicken in much less time.
It is claimed that, unlike whole roasted chicken, the breast is less likely to overcook while the thighs reach their optimum temperature. The USDA recommends cooking chicken breast to a temperature of 165° F to kill all pathogens but 140° to 150° F is recommended for quality as at this temperature range, the less-fatty breast meat is less likely to turn out dry.
Since the pasteurization of chicken is a function of both temperature and time, it is perfectly safe to cook chicken breast to a temperature of 145° F (63°C) as long as it is held at this temperature for a sufficient length of time. According to the FDA food code, that time is 8.5 minutes. Keep in mind that some carryover cooking will occur so it is advisable to stop cooking chicken at a few degrees lower. Theoretically, it is possible to cook chicken breast to an even lower temperature, 136° F, provided you want to hold it at this temp for a whopping 63 minutes. Chicken breast cooked to this temperature will be softer, fleshy and pinkish, however, and offputting to most people.
Leg and thigh meat is less of a problem because it needs to reach a higher temperature of 175° to 185° F for the collagen-based connective tissues in the muscles to break down and gelatinize, producing a tender and juicy result. At this temperature, effective elimination of Salmonella (our biggest problem in poultry) is guaranteed.
It is claimed that laying the chicken flat after spatchcocking it solves a paradox present when roasting a whole chicken. The breast is exposed to more heat and cooks faster than the thight and leg meat, which is tucked in underneath. So, by the time the thighs and legs reach those much higher temperatures needed, the breast is already way too hot and dried out. Spatchcoking is said to solve this problem by placing spreading out the surface area and placing the breast and thighs on the same level, allowing them to cook evenly. Since the legs are on the outside, they will cook even faster, which is what you want.
There is no evidence to support this claim. According to informal experiments carried about by MinuteCook, it is not true in practice. More evidence is needed with tighter control over sampling, weight, preparation, etc. to be sure but at this time there is no reason to believe that spatchcocking chicken solves the problem of dry breast.
However, spatchcocking or butterflying a chicken before roasting or grilling it does make it cook faster and delivers a nice crispy skin all over. Some folks also like the presentation as the backbone is out of the way.
The origin of the term spatchcock is uncertain. Some speculate it derived from the phrase “dispatching the cock” to get it ready to roast on a spit. The Italians have their own peculiar term for it, alla diavola, meaning “like the devil.” The shape of the flattened chicken is thought to resemble the devil’s face, with the legs being his horns. Don’t let this stop you from trying it! Spatcocking a chicken is sometimes called butterflying.
Try Easy Oven Roasted Spatchcocked Chicken
Head on over to RecipeIdeaShop.com and try this recipe for Easy Oven Roasted Spatchcocked Chicken. Once you’ve tried this you may never roast a whole chicken again.
How to Spatchcock or Butterfly a Chicken
To spatchcock or butterfly a chicken, you are essentially splitting it along the back. The easiest tool to us for this is [ kitchen shears], but a very sharp boning knife] can also be used. The first step is to remove the backbone, which is quite simple, especially with a smaller bird. The video below shows a simple technique. Some chefs use more cuts, also removing the wishbone.
Recommended:
Ado Glo Stainless Steel Kitchen Shears
Update International 6″ German Steel Boning Knife
In the video, the breastbone or sternum is removed. This is not technically required. Some cooks leave this bone in, claiming that it helps retain moisture and flavor. It is entirely up to you.
This article contains one or more Amazon affiliate links. See full disclosure.
Santoku Knife: What is It Used For?
What Causes Freezer Burn?
What is “Fresh Frozen” Food?
