Cast Iron Spatchcock Chicken with Braised Onions is one of my favorite ways to eat chicken. No one is ever excited about chicken at my house, but roasting and spatchcocking chicken with herb butter makes it juicy and sweet braised onions make it even more flavorful. This one pan chicken dinner is perfect for weeknights or for company!
The onions braise under the chicken as it roasts. They slow cook in the chicken fat drippings. And when the chicken is done and resting, the onions finish in the oven and caramelize to perfection. It’s a little different than the classic roasted vegetable, but incredibly tasty.
How to Spatchcock a Chicken
If you have never spatchcocked a chicken before, you are in for a surprise! I find roasting a whole chicken to be pretty simple as well, but oftentimes the breast is overcooked before the thighs finish cooking. They can also be difficult to butcher if you have never done it before! This eliminates both of those things. The chicken is butterflied and laid evenly into the pan so everything bakes just as evenly. It is also easy to see exactly where to cut on the chicken for serving once it is spatchcocked!
My girl Martha has a step by step guide on how to spatchcock a chicken – it is so simple and it’s exactly how I learned. How to Spatchcock a Chicken in Four Easy Steps
Home Cook’s Notes – FAQ
What is spatchcocking?
Also known as butterflying, spatchcocking is a method of preparing a chicken (or turkey) by removing the backbone, and breaking the breastbone to flattening the chicken.
Why Spatchcock a chicken?
Doing this with your whole chicken seems so much more difficult than it is! It makes the chicken easier to cook, easier to cut and serve, and incredibly tasty. It only takes about 35-45 minutes to bake, it’s tasty, and a fun way to roast a chicken.
Do I have to spatchcock?
No! This recipe works the EXACT same with a regular whole roasted chicken. You follow exact same steps an just cook the breast until 160°. If you do not have good, sharp kitchen shears, then keep the whole bird as is! I love roasting a whole chicken and don’t find them to be much different.
From the Kitchen
Connect with Me
When you make this Cast Iron Spatchcock Chicken please share your thoughts in the comments or tag me on Instagram @quartersoulcrisis. I really love hearing for you, but if anything please come back and give it a rating!
More One Pan Chicken Dinners
Garlic Lemon Chicken and Potatoes
One Pan Lemon Chicken and Orzo
Cast Iron Spatchock Chicken with Braised Onions
Equipment
- 1 12 inch or large cast iron skillet
Ingredients
- 4 llb whole chicken or already spatchcocked chicken
- 2 lbs yellow onions sliced length wise & in 1/2 inch slices
- 4 tbs unsalted butter room temp or softened
- kosher salt
- fresh cracked pepper
- 3/4 tbsp fresh rosemary chopped fine
- 1/2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
Instructions
- See Step 2 if you know how to spatchcock a chicken: I love to buy already-spatchcocked chicken. You can even ask a butcher to do it for you! If you are spatchcocking yourself: – Place chicken breast-side down with the wings/ neck facing towards you. use sharp kitchen shears to remove the spine: Cut through the ribs along both sides of the spine until you completely cut out spine. Discard the spine or save for chicken stock. Open the rib cage like a book & flip chicken over. – Breast side of chicken is up now, legs facing you. Press firmly on the breast bone to flatten. See blog post above if you need more help.
- Preheat Oven to 400°: Remove chicken from fridge and let sit up to 30 minutes on the counter (I like to give it at least 30). It is much easier to work with at room temp than very cold. Pat dry with paper towels and let sit on a cutting board while you make the herb butter.
- Make Herb Butter: In a small dish add softened butter, rosemary & thyme. Mix until incorporated. Cut your onions and place them in the cast iron pan. Set aside.
- Rub Herb Butter into Kitchen: Loosen the skin of the chicken gently with your hands OR with a small rubber spatula. Use your thumb or fingers to separate the skin from the meat at the thigh/drum stick and breast area. Spread 2/3 of mixture under the chicken skin (i like to use a small rubber spatula to shove the butter in there and then press it in with my hans). Rub any remaining butter all over the outside chicken skin.
- Season Chicken: Sprinkle salt generously all over both sides of the chicken and the onions in the cast iron. Place chicken on top of the onions in the cast iron skillet.
- Roast Chicken & Onions: Roast chicken uncovered 35-45 minutes or until a thermometer reads 160° when testing the breast (175-180 in the thigh usually). Remove from oven and let rest 5-10 minutes. Carefully remove chicken and let it finish resting 15 more minutes on a cutting board. Finish braising onions: Toss the onions and carefully return the cast iron with onions back into the oven whole chicken rests so onions can finish cooking in chicken juices. They should be brown, caramelized and sweet when finished *may take anywhere from 10-20 more minutes while chicken rests*
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