Grilled Spatchcock Chicken

Grilled spatchcock chicken is easy to infuse with Mediterranean flavors! Juicy on the inside and crispy on the outside, every bite of this chicken is delicious. Read on for all the tips and tricks we used to make this recipe.

I’m here for all things grilled and grilling spatchcocked chicken is our latest obsession. We’ve done many shish kabobs such as beef shish kabob and chicken shish kabob, but a whole chicken is another level of fun! Like our Persian joojeh kabab, this grilled chicken is packed with amazing flavors and won the approval of our entire family. Read through to learn how to grill spatchcock chicken on a charcoal grill. A few tips make all the difference. 

Why does spatchcocked chicken work for this recipe?

Since spatchcocked chicken is flat, it cooks faster and more evenly. The skin gets completely crispy and every part of the chicken cooks perfectly without drying out. If you’ve been hesitant about grilling a whole chicken on a charcoal grill, this is the way to go. It’s simple, easy and results in a delicious grilled chicken that’s perfectly crispy on the outside and absolutely juicy on the inside. You can usually ask your butcher to spatchcock a chicken for you, but if you would like to do it yourself at home, my friend Kevin has an easy tutorial on how to spatchcock a chicken that teaches you how to do it without a butcher’s assistance.

Grilling on charcoal

While gas grills are very convenient and easy to work with, the flavor that charcoal grill gives meat is truly unique. Of course, you can make this recipe on a gas grill as well, but my personal preference is for charcoal grills because of the nice smoky flavor that goes deep into the chicken.

Middle Eastern and Mediterranean chefs gravitate toward charcoal for most of their grilling recipes. Even though gas grills are becoming more common, people still prefer charcoal – so that’s what we’re using for today’s recipe. And I promise, it’s much easier than what you think! If you are new to charcoal grilling, I strongly suggest that you read about how to start a charcoal grill and make sure you have all the answers you need before you start grilling. 

The marinade

This is not your average salt and pepper grilled spatchcock chicken. Every bit of this chicken is flavored with delicious Mediterranean spices. Here is what you need to make a quick marinade for spatchcock chicken:

• Olive oil 
• Garlic powder
• Salt
• Sumac
• Oregano
• Paprika
• Allspice
• Cardamom
• Cayenne pepper
• Lemon juice

Cardamom and allspice give some warmth to the chicken while sumac and lemon juice balance it with tang. 

5 tips that make all the difference

1. Rub the marinade both on and under the skin. Loosen the skin gently with your fingers without ripping it and rub the meat with the marinade Then rub the rest of the marinade on the skin. As you move your hands on the chicken, the marinade also spreads under the skin. 
2. It’s best to marinate the chicken overnight.. However, if you’re in a hurry, 30 minutes will work just fine. 
3. Make sure the chicken is at room temperature before you put it on the grill. Cold chicken takes longer to cook and might not cook evenly. 
4. Start with grilling the chicken on indirect heat (more on that below) and then char the skin on the direct heat. 
5. When the chicken is ready, let it sit for 10 minutes before slicing so the juices stay in the meat and don’t ooze out. 

Instructions

Marinate the chicken

Mix the olive oil and lemon juice with the spices and rub it under and on the skin of the chicken. Place the chicken in a container and marinade for 4 to 8 hours. However, as noted above, you’ll get most of the flavor by marinating for as little as 30 minutes.

Heat up the grill

Heat the grill to two-zone heating. This means you put all the coals on one side of the grill and keep the other side empty. Now you have direct and indirect heat. Heating up a charcoal grill takes about 20 to 25 minutes. 

Grill the chicken

Place the chicken on the indirect heat first (where there are no coals under the chicken), cut side down, and close the grill lid. Grill for about 40 to 50 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken. Then grill on the direct heat skin side down for about 10 to 15 minutes for the skin to get crispy and charred. Check to make sure the skin doesn’t burn. Let it sit for 10 minutes before slicing. 

Direct heat vs indirect

When it comes to grilling a whole chicken, it’s best to divide your grill into two zones: indirect heat and direct heat:

Indirect heat means that there are no coals directly under the chicken and the chicken is grilling at a lower temperature. This helps the chicken to cook evenly and not burn while the inside is still raw. This technique works perfectly for large pieces like a whole chicken. 

Direct heat is when the chicken is directly above coals which means it gets those nice grill marks and the skin gets all crispy. You want to grill spatchcocked chicken on the direct heat at the end when you’re sure that the inside is pretty much cooked. Otherwise the skin will get charred while the meat is still under-cooked. 

How long should I grill spatchcocked chicken for?

Depending on the size of the chicken, it might take anywhere between 45 minutes to one hour and 15 minutes to grill a whole spatchcock chicken. For a 3-4 pound chicken, you’re probably looking at about an hour of grilling time.

How do I know if the chicken is ready?

The internal temperature of a perfectly cooked chicken should be 165°F. Be sure to check both breasts and thighs for this temperature. It’s best to rotate the chicken a couple of times when grilling. 

Serving suggestions

I love serving our summer favorites with this grilled chicken. Here are a few suggestions:

Salads: fattoush salad, Greek salad, tabouli salad and Turkish tomato salad. 

Rice: Lebanese rice and vermicelli, Persian herb rice and Persian tomato rice. 

Potatoes: Greek potatoes, Greek style baked fries and Mediterranean potato salad.

Looking for a sauce to drizzle over the chicken? Our Greek tzatziki would be perfect!