The first time I tried spatchcocked chicken it was from Trader Joe's. Have you tried that one? It's rosemary lemon garlic and to.die.for. After that, I kept seeing spatchcocked chicken everywhere. It's such a great way to cook a whole chicken so it cooks evenly and takes less time to cook as well. So I give you my spatchcocked smoked paprika chicken with roasted garlic and onions.
Easy Spatchcocked Chicken With Lots of Side Options
Once you summon the courage to spatchcock the chicken, the rest is super easy. We're seasoning with salt, pepper and smoked paprika. We'll chop an onion into chunks and smash some garlic. After that, the world is your oyster. You can make whatever side dishes you want. Keep it simple with a light salad or try my roasted sweet potatoes with hazelnuts or roasted carrots with herbs de provence & goat cheese. I also have a great asparagus two ways option if you want some greens.
The chicken itself is packed with flavor and is so tender and juicy. The smoked paprika is easy to find in the spice aisle of your grocery store. The combination of the roasted garlic, onion and smoked paprika is one of my new favorite flavor profiles. And if you're a garlic lover like me you will adore the soft, mushy roasted garlic mixed with those onions.
How to Spatchcock a Chicken
In order to lay the chicken flat, you will need to spatchcock the chicken. Here are the steps to do so, but I highly recommend you watch along with my video as well.
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- You will need a good pair of kitchen shears for cutting the spine out so keep that in mind. It really can't be done with a knife unless you are a trained professional chef with excellent knife skills.
- Remove the spine of the chicken.
- Cut the cartilage with a sharp knife. One or two good whacks and it will crack open. You will probably hear it crack.
- Press down gently to widen the crack.
I realize, for the uninitiated, spatchcocking a whole chicken seems like a daunting task. But don't be deterred, this is a delicious way to enjoy a chicken. It's not for everyone, I understand that. And there are at least two camps of people when it comes to spatchcocking. The lovers and the haters... just like pretty much everything else in life. I am a believer that it does, in fact, cook the chicken more evenly and produces a more succulent end result. And guess what? I also love whole, roasted chicken too! It's all good and it's fun to try new ways of cooking things.
Oh, So You Want More Chicken? I Totally Understand:
- Crispy Brick Chicken w/Pan Sauce & Veggies (ANOTHER way to enjoy spatchcocked chicken)
- Chicken, Sauerkraut & Sausage
- Harissa Chicken Thighs w/Yogurt
- Cheap and Easy: Extra Crispy Shake-n-Bake Drumsticks
- Creamy Chicken Bacon Pasta
- Grilled Chicken w/Marinated Tomatoes
- Easy One-Pot Chicken & Dumplings
Spatchcocked Smoked Paprika Chicken
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 4 portions 1x
Description
Spatchcocked smoked paprika chicken with roasted garlic and onions is tender, juicy and delicious. Easy to make and side options are endless.
Ingredients
- 1 4-pound whole chicken
- ¾-1 tablespoon salt, for seasoning the chicken
- ½ teaspoon pepper, for seasoning the chicken
- 6-8 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 medium onion, cut in chunks
- Light sprinkling of salt & pepper to season the onions
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Instructions
- Start by spatchcocking the chicken. Follow along with my video if you’d like. You will need good, sharp kitchen shears for this. Look inside the chicken and find the backbone/spine. Place the chicken spine-side facing up on your cutting board so it’s easier to cut. Start cutting one side along the spine, then the other. Once you get about ¾ of the way, it might be easier to snap off what you can. Turn the chicken and cut the remaining portion of the spine, then discard or save for chicken broth. Take a sharp knife and place it in the center of the cartilage on the underside of the chicken (see video). Give it a good whack or two to crack it (you’ll probably hear a cracking sound) then press gently to spread the chicken out. That’s it. Your chicken has been spatchcocked.
- Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. You need to do this so the chicken has flavor. Set aside the chicken in a large bowl for now. I do this so it gives the salt time to start absorbing into the chicken.
- Peel and smash the garlic cloves. You can smash with the side of your knife or use a spatula if you prefer.
- Measure out the paprika and put in a small ramekin.
- Add 4 tablespoons of olive oil to the bowl with the chicken. I poured two on top, turned it over, then two more.
- Add half the smoked paprika to one side of the chicken, turn then add the other half. Add the smashed garlic. Better to use gloves here (if you have them) to mix everything together until well coated. You should rub and massage the chicken all over.
- Leave chicken in bowl and cover in plastic wrap or transfer to a 2.5 gallon slider bag. I opted for the bag because I never have enough room in my refrigerator for a bowl. J Let it marinate for 2-3 hours or overnight.
- Remove the chicken from the refrigerator 20 minutes before cooking.
- When you’re ready to cook, chop a medium onion into chunks and transfer to a parchment paper lined sheet pan. Break apart the onion chunks and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and a light sprinkling of salt and pepper. Toss to coat. The parchment paper will help preserve the juices so you can spoon them over the chicken later.
- Place the chicken on top of the onions. Make sure to get any extra paprika and the garlic from the bag and place under the chicken.
- Cook in a preheated oven at 400 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until internal temperature of chicken reaches 165 degrees.
- Let chicken sit for 5-10 minutes after taking out of the oven and enjoy! Save the pan juices to spoon over the chicken – so delicious! You can choose whatever sides you want with this: potatoes, rice, salad, veggies – your choice.
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