Description
This Juicy Spatchcocked Grilled Lemon Chicken recipe offers a flavorful and tender grilled chicken with a zesty marinade made from lemon, garlic, herbs, and olive oil. The spatchcocking technique ensures even cooking and crispy skin, perfect for a delicious summer meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 1 whole 4-5 lb chicken, giblets and neck removed
Marinade
- 1 whole lemon
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon aleppo pepper
- 1/4 cup chopped dill
- 1/4 cup oregano leaves
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Make the marinade: Using a sharp knife, cut the lemon into quarters and remove any visible seeds. Add the lemon quarters to a food processor with olive oil, garlic, Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, aleppo pepper, dill, oregano, kosher salt, and black pepper. Blend until mostly smooth without large chunks.
- Spatchcock the chicken: Remove chicken from packaging and remove giblets and neck. Pat dry inside and out. Lay chicken breast-side down and cut along each side of the spine with kitchen shears to remove it. Flip so breasts face upward and legs outward, then press down on the breastbone with your palm until you hear a crack and chicken lies flat.
- Marinate the chicken: Place chicken in a large baking dish and pour marinade over it, spreading evenly over entire bird including the underside. Refrigerate uncovered for at least 2 hours, up to 8 hours. Remove 1 hour before cooking to bring to room temperature. Season outside with additional salt and pepper.
- Prep and preheat the grill: Preheat grill to medium heat using only half the burners. Clean and lightly grease grates. Place chicken breast-side up on the unlit side of the grill as close to the fire as possible without direct heat.
- Grill the chicken: Close grill lid and cook for 15-minute increments, rotating chicken 180 degrees after each interval. Grill for a total of 1 hour or until thickest part reaches 165 F. Flip chicken skin-side down over direct heat for 3-5 minutes to crisp skin.
- Rest and serve: Remove chicken from grill, squeeze fresh lemon juice over top, and let rest for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Use kitchen shears for easier and safer spatchcocking.
- If Aleppo pepper is unavailable, substitute with mild crushed red pepper flakes.
- Marinating the chicken uncovered in the fridge helps dry out the skin for a crispier finish.
- Make sure chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 F for safe consumption.
- Resting the chicken before slicing ensures juices redistribute for moist, tender meat.
