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Roast Spatchcocked Lemon Chicken

Name: Roast Spatchcocked Lemon Chicken
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 whole 4-pound chicken; 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided; Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper; 2 lemons, thinly sliced, divided; 6 small shallots (6 ounces), peeled and quartered lengthwise

Recipe photo courtesy of Chris Court

The technique of spatchcocking requires splitting and flattening the chicken. It exposes more skin, which really crisps up at high temperatures. See our step-by-step guide to spatchcocking a chicken, then use this recipe to put together two other delicious meals: Chicken-and-Rice Soup and Escarole Salad with Lardons and Poached Eggs.

Source: Martha Stewart Living, January 2013

1 hour 20 mins 20 mins 4

Total Time Prep Servings

Ingredients

1 whole 4-pound chicken
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 lemons, thinly sliced, divided
6 small shallots (6 ounces), peeled and quartered lengthwise

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place chicken, breast side down, on a work surface. Starting at thigh end, cut along 1 side of backbone with kitchen shears. Turn chicken around; cut along other side. Discard backbone or save for stock. Flip chicken, and open it like a book. Press firmly on breastbone to flatten.
2. Rub chicken with 1 tablespoon oil, and season with 1 tablespoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Brush 1 tablespoon oil in the center of a rimmed baking sheet slightly larger than the size of the chicken, and place half the lemon slices in a single layer on top of oil. Place chicken, skin side up, on lemons. Beginning at the neck end of breast, carefully loosen skin from flesh of breast and thighs with your fingers. Slide remaining lemon slices under skin in a single layer.
3. Roast chicken 20 minutes. Toss shallots with remaining teaspoon oil, and scatter around chicken. Continue to roast chicken until a thermometer inserted into thickest part of breast reaches 165 degrees, 25 to 30 minutes more.
4. Transfer chicken to a carving board, and let rest 10 minutes. Cut chicken into 8 pieces, and serve with roasted lemons, shallots, and pan juices. If using chicken for soup and salad, let chicken cool completely. Remove and discard skin, lemon under skin, and bones, and shred meat into bite-size pieces. Chicken, roasted lemons, shallots, and pan juices can be refrigerated up to 2 days. Store meat and pan juices in separate containers; lemons and shallots can be stored together.

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Reviews

246

How would you rate this recipe?

246

MS10200758

13 JAN, 2019

I love the flavors of the perfectly roasted chicken with the zesty lemon juices and sweet shallots combined. I also roasted carrots separately and served them with the chicken. Everyone made the yummy sound pretty much after each bite.
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notyet9

11 NOV, 2018

I follow the cooking instructions for cook time, temp, the oil, salt, and pepper. It comes out wonderfully! The only other seasoning I do is a mixture of rosemary and thyme. And for the oil, I sauté garlic in it earlier in the day so it cools off for bird. This is my go to whole chicken recipe, and haven’t found a better way to get some crispy skin. I know it’s a “not by the recipe” review, but it was the stepping stone I needed to get the bird I want.
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MS11033026

15 FEB, 2018

This recipe is perfect! Just be sure you use either large shallots or if they are smaller, put them in later so they don't burn. You can quarter large shallots.
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karenfar

13 FEB, 2018

First time I did a spatchcocked chicken and it was so moist and flavorful! NOT to lemony or overpowered with any particular flavor. I would do this method in a flash.
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halfnelson79079

11 FEB, 2018

Perfectly simple!! There infinite ways to spice, season and sauce chicken, and I have tried most of them. I like to serve a simple main dish to my guests, then go full flavor with side dishes. Chief Joseph knows how to make directions simple too!! Thank You! Now, a question about Chief Thomas Joseph, is he related to the, handsomely talented Pianist William Joseph They look so much alike?!?raf
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ka10ap

11 FEB, 2015

I'm giving this a 5 star rating based on technique. I used my own seasoning blend and skipped the onions underneath but cutting and cooking the chicken in this manner is WONDERFUL! It's the only way I cook a whole chicken anymore. Juicy, quick, and delicious!
Reply
gosz

24 JAN, 2015

We enjoyed this. I added about a cup of canned chickpeas with the shallots, and some rosemary sprigs with the lemon slices. The pan juices were a little too lemony for us, so I just left it in the pan. The meat was juicy and delicious, and the beans and shallots were very good. I like that you get more nice crisp skin with this method.
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Jtm315

22 AUG, 2014

I make this recipe frequently ever since I saw it printed in the magazine. Each time I make it my family starts picking at the crispy, delicious chicken before I can even serve it up on a plate and it rarely makes it out of the kitchen and onto the dinner table. I have never had a problem with a "sour" or bitter "too-lemony" taste. It's delicious as is... Just use thin slices! YUM.
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auntbrig

15 APR, 2014

This was way too lemony for my husband and me. He is a real lemon lover, too. The flavor was more like lemon pith, with a bitter aftertaste. I roast chicken about 2 times a month and lately have been using the spatchcocked method. I came across this recipe when I had fresh lemons from my sister's tree. I cut the lemons very very thinly for inside the skin. I didn't use the shallots, but everthing else was the same.
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MS11766311

28 FEB, 2014

This was positively delicious. We ate the leg/thigh portions and my husband went back and grabbed the two wings. I boiled the back meat for free broth and more meat....picked the bones clean and tonight made a recipe from Winter Cottage Feb 2013, called Lemon Chicken Soup with Spinach. Absolutely wonderful! With that I served "Savory" crackers, made from saltines and a bag of Savory Seasoning and some swiss cheese slices....perfect meal! www.SavoryFineFoods.com for the seasoning.
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