How much to reduce cooking time for spatchco*ck chicken?

Not only does spatchco*cking produce a roast chicken in at least 15 minutes less than the time required to prepare an intact roasted bird, but it also results in a more perfectly cooked dish. Who hasn't suffered the age-old issue of overcooked breast meat and undercooked thighs?

What temperature do you cook a Spatchco*ck chicken?

The result is a bird that cooks exactly the way you want it. Blast it in a hot oven (I'm talking 450 to 500°F or 232 to 260°C here), and you'll find that miraculously, the breast will reach 150°F (66°C) just as the legs reach 170°F (77°C) and the skin reaches delicious. No brining, no salting, no flipping, no problem.

At what temperature is a Spatchco*ck chicken done?

Roast the chicken until the skin is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees F , about 40 minutes. Let the chicken rest 5 minutes before serving.

How long do you cook a chicken in the roast Mary Berry?

Roast for about 1½ hours , or until the chicken is cooked. The chicken is cooked through when the juices run clear with no trace of pink when the thickest part of the leg, between the drumstick and the thigh, is pierced with a skewer.

Do you bake or sear chicken first?

We mentioned above that searing the thighs before baking them will help the skin stay crispy , but if that isn't important to you and you want to save a bit of time and effort you can definitely just bake the thighs in the sauce without searing them.

How much time does spatchco*cking save?

A 12-to-14-pound bird typically takes 180-210 minutes to roast in the oven the traditional way; whereas with spatchco*cking, your bird will be in and out of there in about 80-90 minutes. That's saving at least half the cooking time in the oven .

How long does it take to cook a Spatchco*ck chicken?

Bake uncovered at 425˚F for 45 minutes or until instant read thermometer registers 160˚F when inserted into the thickest part of the chicken breast. Don't over-bake or the breast will be dry. Keep in mind the temperature will rise another 5-10 degrees after it comes out of the oven.

How does spatchco*cking affect cooking time?

The main purpose of spatchco*cking a bird before roasting is to cut the roasting time needed to cook the bird to doneness by up to 35% . It is a great method if you are running behind schedule getting your bird in the oven. All of the skin of the bird is exposed, so that does result in a lot more crispy, brown skin.

How much quicker does a Spatchco*ck turkey cook?

A spatchco*cked whole turkey will cook more quickly than a standard turkey. While the spatchco*ck turkey cooking time will depend on the size and oven temperature, 6 minutes per pound is a good rule of thumb. Depending on the size of the turkey, cook times are estimated between 60-90 minutes.

Spatchco*cked Chicken with Maple-Glazed Squash Recipe on Food52 (2024)

Roast

by: Palak Patel

January24,2019

3.5

2 Ratings

Spatchco*cked Chicken with Maple-Glazed Squash Recipe on Food52 (1)

Author Notes

This simple sheet-pan recipe draws its inspiration from my time living and working in the southwest of France, where roast chicken is a staple. To enhance the flavors, I used an herby compound butter under the chicken's skin, roasted delicata squash (you can use any squash in season) in a maple glaze, and used the chicken's backbone to make a savory pan sauce. It not only makes a great Sunday supper, but is also an impressive dinner party dish you can prepare ahead of time. —Palak Patel

Test Kitchen Notes

This recipe is featured in the story, Roast Chicken Gets an Upgrade With 5 Clever Tricks, sponsored by BOU. —The Editors

Test Kitchen-Approved

What You'll Need

Ingredients

For the glazed squash and chicken:
2 medium delicata squash (about 4 pounds)
6 tablespoonsunsalted butter, divided (2 tablespoons melted, 4 tablespoons softened)
2 tablespoonsmaple syrup
2 BOU Vegetable cubes, divided
1 teaspoonplus 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided (plus more to taste)
1 (4 1/4-pound) whole chicken
2 tablespoonsfinely chopped parsley
1 tablespoonlemon juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
¹/₂ teaspoonlemon zest
1-2 tablespoonsneutral-flavored oil, such as canola or vegetable
1 tablespoonplus 1 teaspon kosher salt, divided (plus more to taste)
1 teaspoonbaking powder

For the sauce:
1 tablespoonneutral-flavored oil, such as canola or vegetable
1 BOU Vegetable cube
4 tablespoonsunsalted butter, cut into cubes
1 tablespoonlemon juice

Directions

Cut the top off the squash and scoop out the seeds. Cut the squash into 1 1/2-inch-thick rounds. In a bowl, whisk together the 2 tablespoons melted butter, maple syrup, and 1 Bou cube. Toss the squash with the butter mixture. Arrange the squash on a baking sheet. (Optional: If you don’t want the squash to cook in the chicken fat, prepare the pan first with a wire rack.)
Place your oven rack in the upper-middle position and preheat the oven to 450°F.
Remove the spine from the chicken using a pair of sharp kitchen shears or a heavy knife. Then cut the spine into 1-inch-long pieces (there should be about 5 to 6 pieces total) and save for later. Place the chicken skin-side up on the cutting board and flatten it by applying firm pressure to the breastbone. For the most even cooking, allow the chicken to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before roasting.
Meanwhile, make the flavored butter. In a small mixing bowl, combine 4 tablespoons softened unsalted butter and 1 Bou cube, along with the parsley, lemon juice, garlic, lemon zest, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1 pinch black pepper (about 1/8 teaspoon). Mash with a fork for a couple of minutes until the lemon juice is mostly incorporated into the butter. Spread the mixture under the chicken skin evenly.
Drizzle the chicken with the neutral oil. In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon kosher salt, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper. Sprinkle all over the chicken. (Adding baking powder will make the chicken skin extra crispy.) Place the chicken on top of the squash rounds.
Roast the chicken for about 45 minutes in the oven, or until thickest part of the breast near the bone registers 150°F on an instant-read thermometer and the joint between the thighs and body registers at least 175°F. Don't over-bake or the breast will be dry. Keep in mind the internal temperature will rise another 5 to 10 degrees after it comes out of the oven.
Meanwhile, make the pan sauce. Heat the oil in a small saucepan over high heat until shimmering. Add the chicken spine pieces you saved earlier and cook, stirring often, until they are well browned (about 3 minutes). Add the Bou cube and 1 cup water, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Reduce the heat to low to maintain a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes. Remove the reserved chicken spine pieces. Take the pan off the heat and whisk in the butter and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Once the chicken reaches the correct temperatures, remove it from the oven and transfer to a cutting board. Tent the chicken loosely with foil, and allow it to rest 10 minutes before carving. Serve with the sauce and a simple cucumber salad, if you like.

Popular on Food52

3 Reviews

alexisfromtexas November 18, 2020

I took a lot of liberties with this recipe. As a solo diner, I used just 1/2 chicken breast on the bone with skin and 1 delicata squash. I skipped the compound butter to put under the skin, just sprinkled the breast with sea salt before putting uncovered in the refrigerator in the morning. At dinner time, I preheated the oven, prepared the squash and made the maple butter glaze with crushed red peppers so it wouldn't be so sweet. After seasoning the squash, I brushed them with the glaze, topped with the chicken and placed in the over. After 20 minutes, the skin was brown and starting to crisp. Only then did I add the maple glaze. I cooked for another 5 minutes before removing it. I let it rest for about 8 minutes before devouring. It was delicious and so easy. Thanks for the inspiration!

alexisfromtexas November 18, 2020

I took a lot of liberties with this recipe and it was delicious. As a solo diner, I used a 1/2 chicken breast on the bone with skin. I salted the chicken in the morning and put in the refrigerator uncovered until cooking to dry out the skin. I used one delicata squash, cut as directed. For the glaze, I used equal amounts of butter and maple syrup, then added crushed red pepper flakes. After seasoning the squash in the baking dish, I added the glaze, then topped with the chicken. I didn't glaze the chicken until about 20 minutes in, for fear of burning the maple syrup. I cooked the chicken about another 5 minutes, then let it rest before eating. The skin was crispy, the meat was juicy and tender and the squash was delicious from the chicken fat and maple glaze.

NXL February 8, 2020

The compound butter under the skin, of course, made for very moist and delicious chicken. I found that the baking powder remained weirdly white on the skin and did not make the skin crispy.