Spatchcock Chicken
Backbone out, flattened, and cooked hot — the fastest way to get a whole bird with crisp skin and even doneness.
Recipe to cook
Char-Grilled Spatchcock Whole Chicken
Direct fire gets you dinner in under an hour with genuinely crisp skin — just keep it moving so the fat doesn't torch.
55 minCook Time
400°FPit Temp
Lump charcoalWood
165°FTarget Internal
MediumDifficulty
Gather
Ingredients
Everything you need, whichever way you cook it.
- 1 whole chicken (4–5 lbs), backbone removed and flattened
- Kosher salt (for the dry brine)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 tbsp Smoke City Poultry Rub
- 2 tbsp olive oil or melted butter
- 1 lemon, halved
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- A few sprigs fresh thyme or rosemary
- Black pepper, to taste
Before the pit
Prep
Spatchcocking is the one prep step that matters — everything else is seasoning.
Spatchcock the bird: cut out the backbone with kitchen shears and press flat until the breastbone cracks.
Dry-brine with kosher salt and baking powder at least 8 hours ahead, uncovered in the fridge, skin side up.
Season with oil, then the rub, working some of it under the skin over the breasts.
Hot and fast
The Cook
Skin-side down first, then finish over indirect heat.
Build a two-zone fire: bank the coals to one side for a hot direct zone and a cooler indirect zone.
Sear skin-side down over direct heat for 6–8 minutes to render fat and crisp the skin.
Move to indirect, flipping bone-side down, and close the lid.
Cook to temp: pull once the thickest part of the breast hits 165°F and the thighs read at least 175°F, about 35–40 minutes total.
Rest for 10 minutes, tented loosely, before carving.
Bring it home
Finish & Serve
Rest it, carve it, and don't skip the resting.
Carve into pieces — breasts, thighs, wings, drumsticks — and arrange on a platter.
Spoon any pan drippings over the top and serve with the charred lemon.
In this cook
Techniques & Methods
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- Char-Grillintermediate
Gear for this cook
Char-Grilled Setup
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