Spanish Spatchcock Chicken

By: Deborah

This Spanish spatchcock chicken recipe features a perfectly roasted chicken with smoky hot pimenton, garlic, and olive oil. A quick, juicy and flavourful dish perfect for any occasion!

PREP: 15

COOK: 1 10

Plus marinating time - 6 hours to: 1

TOTAL: 1 1 25

Course: Lunch, Main, Snack

Cuisine: Spanish

Servings: 6 people

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Equipment

Ingredients

3 cloves garlic finely chopped
1 tsp hot smoked pimentón or smoked paprika
1 tsp dried oregano
0.5 tsp chilli flakes
2 tbsp olive oil
1.6 to 1.9 kg (4.2 lb) whole chicken preferably free range – they’re juicier!
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Serving suggestion (optional - see Notes):

500 g (1.1 lb) new potatoes halved lengthways
2 peppers (any colours) deseeded and each cut into 8 chunks
1 large red onion halved and each half cut into 6 wedges (keep the root intact)
olive oil for drizzling
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Prepare the marinade in a small bowl - mix together the chopped garlic, pimentón, dried oregano, chilli flakes and olive oil.
Line a large baking tray with greaseproof baking paper. Now it’s time to spatchcock that chicken: using sharp kitchen scissors, cut the chicken either side of the backbone. Remove and discard the backbone. Open the chicken out, turn it over and flatten it by pressing down with the heel of your hand along the breastbone. Place the now spatchcocked chicken on the prepared baking tray. Spread the marinade over the chicken, cover and leave to marinate in the fridge overnight or for at least 6 to 8 hours.
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
If you’re including the potatoes, peppers and red onion, arrange these around the chicken on the tray, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and freshly ground pepper.
Also now season the chicken with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Roast for 60 to 70 minutes, occasionally brushing the pan juices back over the chicken and the vegetables (at least 3 times). Check that the temperature of the breasts are 74C – I use my meat thermometer to do this.
Remove the chicken from the oven, transfer the potatoes to a serving dish, and keep warm. Cover the chicken with tin foil and let it rest for 5 minutes.
Serve the chicken with the optional potatoes and vegetables, or sides of your choice.

Notes

- Vegetarian option - use the same marinade on cauliflower steaks or tofu for a plant-based version.

- Feel free to try out other seasonings – the cooking time will be the same, depending on the size of your chicken.

- Leftovers - use up leftover chicken in pasta, to top a pizza or in a sandwich with a bowl of soup.

- Optional serving suggestion - if you'd like to cook more vegetables with the chicken, either put them on a separate tray drizzled with oil and seasoned with salt and pepper, or use a large roasting tin to fit everything in one dish.

Nutrition

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

KEYWORDS one pan chicken recipe, Spanish chicken recipe, spatchcock chicken recipe

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