Home cooks everywhere are ditching the traditional whole roast in favour of this game-changing cooking method: spatchcocking.
It’s believed this classic technique (also called butterflying) has been around since the 18th century, but it’s making a comeback. Why? Because it works. Spatchcocking flattens the bird, allowing it to cook faster, more evenly, and with significantly crispier skin.
Plus, it looks amazing straight out of the oven or off the barbecue. Once you’ve tried it, you’ll wonder why you roasted a whole chicken any other way.
Benefits of spatchcocking
Spatchcocking a chicken isn’t just a clever technique — it comes with serious benefits. By removing the backbone and flattening the chicken, you expose more surface area to the heat, resulting in faster and more even cooking.
The legs and thighs cook at the same rate as the breast, reducing the risk of dry meat. You also get beautifully crispy skin across the entire chicken, not just the top.
It’s ideal for roasting, grilling, or barbecuing, and makes seasoning and marinating easier too. Best of all? It looks impressive, cooks in less time, and delivers juicy, flavourful results every time.
What you’ll need
- 1 whole chicken
- Kitchen shears or sharp poultry scissors
- Chopping board
- Paper towels
- Meat thermometer (optional)
Step-by-step: how to spatchcock a chicken
Step 1
Sit a whole chicken, breast-side down, on a clean work surface. Using kitchen scissors, cut down one side of the backbone.
Step 2
Cut along the other side of the backbone, lifting it slightly to ease the cutting process. Lift out the backbone and discard.
Step 3
Turn the chicken over and press down firmly on the breastbone to crack. Press down again and flatten as much as possible.
Step. 4
Prepare your chicken for roasting. Pat the skin dry with paper towels. Season with olive oil, garlic, herbs, salt, and pepper. Whatever flavour combo you love.
How to cook Karen Martini’s gaucho-style butterflied chicken with Argentine sauce
This simple South American dish, accompanied by a fresh chimichurri parsley sauce, is an easy way to transform your next barbecue into a fiesta.
- Preparation time: 10 mins
- Cooking time: 40 mins
- Serves 6
Ingredients
- 1.8kg whole chicken
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Sea-salt flakes and freshly
- ground black pepper,
- to season
- 1½ cups flat-leaf parsley
- leaves
- ½ cup oregano leaves
- Finely-grated zest of 2 lemons
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 tsp red wine vinegar
- Shredded red cabbage salad, to serve
Method
1. Using a pair of sharp kitchen scissors, cut along each side of the chicken backbone and remove. Mix spices with 2 Tbsp of the oil in a small bowl. Spoon the mixture onto the chicken and massage it in to coat, then season with salt and pepper.
2. Preheat barbecue grill to medium. Grill chicken, skin-side down, for 10 minutes. Turn over and cook for an additional 30 minutes, turning every 10 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the juices run clear when pierced at the joint between the thigh and drumstick.
3. Meanwhile, finely chop parsley and oregano and transfer to a medium bowl. Add lemon zest, garlic, vinegar and remaining oil, then stir to combine. Season.
4. Chop chicken into large pieces, then top with herb mixture. Serve with a side of red cabbage salad.
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