This dish features spatchcock chicken marinated in herby yogurt, harissa, and spices, then roasted with citrus and potatoes. The yogurt helps tenderize the chicken, and the harissa and herbs provide the flavor. As the chicken roasts, its juices coat the potatoes, while the citrus brightens the whole meal. And who doesn’t like chicken and potatoes? For the finishing touches, the herb yogurt comes in once again as a dipping sauce for the chicken. I highly recommend trying out this flavorful spatchcock chicken roast for a date night or dinner party gathering.
Key Ingredients in Roasted Spatchcock Chicken
A few special ingredients are important in this dish, balancing spicy, bright, and acidic notes. The recipe itself is somewhat flexible, so you can adapt the ingredients as needed to maintain the same flavor profile.
Harissa paste: Harissa is a spicy paste originating in North Africa, typically made with chili peppers, garlic, oil, spices, and herbs. There are many regional variations, and each brand has a distinct flavor profile. Harissa is often used as a condiment, marinade, or base for a stew. Some harissa pastes pack a punch, so I recommend adding a little at a time as you taste the marinade to ensure it is well balanced. For a milder flavor, purchase a mild harissa paste (or use less). This recipe also works with many chili pastes, like gochujang or sambal. Herb yogurt: I recommend using full-fat Greek yogurt (I love Wallaby) for its thicker texture and tart flavor. Cilantro provides a warm, citrusy touch, but any combination of soft herbs will do! Citrus: I love the combination of citrus with spice. The lemons and oranges are sliced into rounds and baked with the chicken. Feel free to use a variety of oranges and lemons, just oranges, or just lemons.
How to Spatchcock a Chicken
Spatchcocking is a method that involves removing the backbone from a piece of meat, allowing you to open up the bird and lay flat on a surface. The benefit here is that you get a flatter surface where all of the skin is fully exposed, which means a faster, crisper, and a more even roast. In addition to spatchcock chicken, you can also spatchcock a whole turkey.
Tips and Tricks
To achieve the most flavorful, moist roast chicken, keep in mind a few tips:
Taste the marinade as you build it (before adding in the chicken, obviously!) A marinade will taste overly salty, punchy, and spicier than you’d like since it still has to penetrate the meat to get the full flavor. But if all you taste is heat, you may need to adjust the other ingredients to balance the flavor.You may need to use a bit more force to cut out the backbone with duller kitchen scissors. Use your free hand to grip the skin tightly so that the scissors move more easily through the meat.Use a meat thermometer to achieve the juiciest chicken. The chicken is done when a meat thermometer inserted into the deepest part of the breasts and thighs register at least 165°F.If the chicken is browning too quickly, tent it with foil by fully covering the chicken with a piece of foil.
Serving Suggestions
The chicken, potatoes, and yogurt sauce can easily be a complete meal, but if you’re looking for a few accompaniments, I recommend the following:
Warm up flatbread, pita, or naan to sop up the juices; these also serve as a great leftovers meal if you want to make a wrap. Make plain or herb-scented rice to serve alongside the chicken. Serve with a hearty green, like sauteed spinach For a dinner party, I love the combination of this chicken with a bright salad like this Fennel Radicchio Slaw or grilled vegetables, such as these Blistered Shishito Peppers.
You’ll need 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt per pound of chicken (so, if your chicken is 4 pounds, you will want to use 3 teaspoons salt). Add in the yogurt and process until homogeneous, occasionally scraping down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula as needed. The herb yogurt should have a consistency slightly thinner than Greek yogurt. Season with additional salt if needed. Transfer mixture to a medium-sized bowl. Set aside the remaining herb yogurt in the fridge, covered, until ready to serve. Turn the chicken over so that it now faces breast-side up. Then, firmly place your palms down on the chicken to flatten it. Separate the legs from the breast; the legs should roughly be at the same height as the breasts. Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel. Did you like this recipe?! Leave us a few stars and a review below!
