Spatchcock BBQ Chicken Recipe | The Grounded Kitchen

Spatchcocking — removing the backbone and flattening the bird — is one of the most reliable techniques for grilling a whole chicken. It reduces cooking time, exposes more skin to direct heat for maximum crispiness, and ensures the breast and thigh finish cooking at the same time. Dry-brined overnight and finished over direct flame, this method produces one of the most reliable grilled whole chickens you can make. Recipe Details Prep Time: 20 minutes (plus overnight dry brine) Cook Time: 50–60 minutes Servings: 4 Difficulty: Intermediate Dietary Info: Gluten-free, dairy-free Vegan: No Ingredients Chicken 1 whole chicken (approx. 1.8–2kg) Dry Brine 1½ tsp fine sea salt per kg of chicken (so approx. 3 tsp for a 2kg bird) 1 tsp smoked paprika 1 tsp garlic powder ½ tsp onion powder ½ tsp black pepper ½ tsp dried thyme To Finish 1 tbsp neutral oil Flaky sea salt Lemon wedges Fresh thyme or flat-leaf parsley Instructions Spatchcock the Chicken Place the chicken breast-side down on a cutting board. Using sharp kitchen shears, cut along both sides of the backbone from tail to neck and remove it entirely. (Reserve the backbone for stock.) Flip the chicken breast-side up. Press firmly down on the breastbone with the heel of your hand until you hear a crack and the bird lies flat. Dry Brine Combine all dry brine ingredients in a small bowl. Rub the mixture all over the chicken — under the skin over the breasts and thighs where possible, on the skin, and on the underside. Place on a wire rack set over a baking tray. Refrigerate uncovered overnight (minimum 4 hours, overnight is best). The uncovered rest dries out the skin for maximum crispiness. Grill Remove the chicken from the fridge 30–45 minutes before grilling. Preheat grill to 180°C/350°F with a two-zone fire — direct heat on one side, no heat on the other. Place the chicken skin-side up on the indirect heat zone. Close the lid and cook for 45–55 minutes, until the thickest part of the thigh reaches 72–74°C (162–165°F) on an instant-read thermometer. Brush the skin lightly with neutral oil. Move the chicken skin-side down to the direct heat zone. Grill for 4–5 minutes until the skin is deeply golden and crisped. Watch closely to avoid burning. Rest for 10 minutes before carving. Finish with flaky salt, lemon wedges, and fresh herbs. How to Carve a Spatchcocked Chicken Cut through the skin between the thigh and breast to remove the leg quarters. Separate each leg quarter into drumstick and thigh by cutting through the joint. Then cut along the breastbone to divide the two breast halves. The flattened shape makes carving significantly easier than a traditionally roasted bird. Using a heavy-duty pair of spring-loaded kitchen shears makes removing the backbone a 30-second task rather than a struggle. If you find the breastbone difficult to crack, a small 1cm vertical nick with a knife at the top of the breastbone (from the inside) will make it flatten perfectly with minimal pressure. Cook's Note The overnight dry brine is what separates a good grilled chicken from a great one. Salt penetrates the meat deeply, seasons it throughout, and draws moisture back in for a juicier result. The uncovered rest in the fridge simultaneously dries the skin, which is essential for crispiness — a wet skin will steam rather than crisp on the grill. Do not skip this step.

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