How to Make Spatchcock Chimichurri Chicken

If you think a roasted chicken takes too long or is reserved for special occasions, think again. My spatchcock chimichurri chicken is a quick chicken dinner that comes together easily and it’s delicious, not to mention, worthy of compliments.

If you’re not familiar with spatchcocked chicken, it is essentially a method of butterflying a whole chicken. This means removing the spine (which a butcher can do for you, but it’s really not that bad) and then flattening the breast. Then, you can use the spine for the base of your chicken stock. You can cook this in the oven, but I think my spatchcock chimichurri chicken is best cooked on the grill.

Not only does my spatchcock chimichurri chicken cook in a quick 45 minutes, but the perfect accompaniment to this chicken is the spicy and earthy chimichurri sauce. Chimichurri is uncooked Argentinian sauce that is composed of herbs like parsley, cilantro, and oregano along with red wine vinegar and healthy dose of good olive oil. It pairs so well with my grilled spatchcock chimichurri chicken; you will love it!

Suggested Wine Pairing:

A sauvignon blanc will pair perfectly with the herbal notes and acidity of the chimichurri sauce.

Tools Needed:

I like to keep things easy and use a food processor for the chimichurri sauce, but you could be old school and chop it up or use a mortar and pestle.

You will also need a grill or, alternatively, you could cook this in the oven at 400F for about 45 – 60 minutes. I think it comes out better on the grill, but oven roasted is still good.

Spatchcock Chimichurri Chicken Ingredients:

1 – 3-5 lb chicken

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tablespoon of brown sugar

1 tablespoon of paprika

3 tablespoons of oil

1/2 tablespoon of salt

1 teaspoon of pepper

Juice of 1 lemon

For the Chimichurri Sauce:

1/2 cup of parsley

1/4 cup of cilantro

2 cloves of garlic

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon of pepper

1 teaspoon of dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes

1/3 cup of olive oil

2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar

Instructions:

1. Pat chicken dry. Using kitchen shears or a chef’s knife, remove the spine by cutting on either side of it. Open the chicken breast, skin side up and press down to flatten the chicken.
2. Combine sugar, paprika, salt, pepper, garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil. Massage over the chicken, inside and out.
3. Over a medium high heat and not on direct flame, grill the chicken breast side up for 35 minutes. Flip and cook breast side down for another 10 minutes to crisp the skin.
4. While the chicken cooks, make the chimichurri sauce by combining the parsley, cilantro, garlic, salt, pepper, oregano, red pepper flakes, olive oil, and vinegar in the food processor and blending until smooth.
5. Serve the chicken with the chimichurri sauce and some crispy oven roasted potatoes for a perfect meal.