Spatchcock Chicken - For the Carnivore Diet
Spatchcocking a chicken flattens the bird so the skin renders and crisps while the breasts and thighs cook evenly. With nothing but salt and animal fat, you get maximum chicken flavor and shatteringly crisp skin.
Keep the skin very dry, roast hot, and rest before carving. Spoon the pan drippings over the meat or whisk them with a little butter for a quick, rich finish. Leftovers are excellent cold or reheated skin-side down in a skillet to re-crisp.
If you have time, dry-brine the bird uncovered in the fridge for a few hours or overnight for even better seasoning and crackly skin. You can also grill the spatchcocked chicken over medium-high heat for a smoky variation.
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken (3.5–4.5 lb)
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1–2 tablespoons beef tallow, ghee, or butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter for finishing (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F (232°C). Set a wire rack over a rimmed sheet pan.
- Spatchcock the chicken: place it breast-side down. Using kitchen shears, cut along both sides of the backbone and remove it. Flip the bird breast-side up and press firmly on the breastbone to flatten. Tuck wing tips behind the breasts.
- Pat the chicken very dry, including under the skin where you can. Rub all over with the melted tallow/ghee/butter, then season evenly with the salt (a little under the skin and on both sides).
- Place the chicken skin-side up on the rack. Roast 40–50 minutes, rotating the pan halfway, until an instant-read thermometer reads 160–165°F in the thickest part of the breast and 175°F in the thigh.
- Rest 10–15 minutes. Carve into leg quarters, wings, and sliced breasts. Spoon pan drippings over the meat or whisk drippings with the optional butter for a quick sauce.
- Grill variation: Set up a two-zone medium-high grill. Cook skin-side up over indirect heat until 150°F breast, then finish skin-side down over direct heat 2–4 minutes to crisp, monitoring closely to avoid flare-ups.