Satisfy your tastebuds with Chef Eric Gephart's Spatchcock Chicken recipe, cooked with the tender precision of the Kamado Joe Pellet Joe.
WHAT YOU'LL LOVE
- Cracking the breastbone to flatten the bird: Tapping the keel bone after removing the backbone lets the chicken lie flat on the grill, so it cooks more evenly than a whole, uncut bird would.
- Cutting off the ankle joints before cooking: Removing the ankle joints lets the skin and meat pull back naturally as the bird cooks, giving a cleaner presentation on the drumsticks.
- Slipping herb butter under the breast skin: Creating pockets between the skin and meat near the neck and stuffing them with fresh herbs and butter pats seasons the meat directly and self-bastes it as the butter melts during the cook.
- Positioning the legs over the banked coals and the breast over indirect heat: Since dark meat needs to reach a higher temperature than white meat, placing the legs over the hotter direct side and the breast over indirect heat helps both finish around the same time instead of one drying out while the other catches up.
Spatchcock Chicken
Eric Gephart
Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users
Category
Entree
Cuisine
American
Servings
6
Prep Time
20 minutes
Cook Time
1 hour 15 minutes
Calories
386
Chef Eric Gephart shares the very first recipe he ever cooked on a Kamado Joe-- his Spatchcock Chicken. This time he fires up the Kamado Joe Pellet Joe to make this flavor-packed chicken.
Ingredients
- 1 Chicken
- 2 Tablespoons Butter, sliced into pads
- 6 Sprigs Thyme, Fresh
- 4 Sprigs Oregano, Fresh
-
2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
-
1 Tablespoon Cattleman’s Grill 8 Second Ride
-
1 Tablespoon Cattleman’s Grill California Tri Tip
-
1 Tablespoon Killer Hogs The BBQ Rub
Directions
- Stabilize your grill between 300° and 325° F. Set your grill up for a direct cook but bank your coals to one side and place your grill grates at the highest setting of the Kamado Joe Divide and Conquer cooking system.
- While the grill is coming to temperature, use a pair of kitchen shears or chef’s knife and cut the backbone out of the bird. Place the bird, breast meat side down and tap the top of the keel bone with a chef knife to crack the breastbone and flatten the bird.
- Cut off the ankle joints of the bird and allow the meat and skin to retreat while the bird cooks.
- Lift the skin of the breast meat near the neck region. Gently create pockets on each side between the skin and the meat. Season and stuff with herbs and 2 pats of butter on each side.
- Slightly oil the outside of the bird, season the bird, and fold the wings behind.
- Place the fabricated and seasoned bird on the Grill Grates with the leg portions over the banked charcoal side. The legs/dark meat need to cook to a higher temp than the white breast meat. This will ensure that the bird comes to temp at the same time.
- Depending on the size of the bird, cook 1 hour to 1:15. Aim for an internal temperature of 160° on the breast meat and 170° to 175° on the leg/dark meat. The bird will be smoked by its own drippings and the dripping of the butter caramelizing on the glowing embers below. I love this type of smoke seasoning.
- Rest the bird and carve it or place it whole on a platter whole. Never underestimate the majesty of a whole bird presentation. Once sliced, this meat can be an entree on its own, put on a salad or served on tacos.
- Enjoy! Chef E
Recipe Note
Recipe FAQ
Why crack the breastbone after removing the backbone?
Tapping the keel bone to crack it lets the chicken lie flat on the grill, so it cooks more evenly than an uncut, still-domed bird would.
Why cut off the ankle joints before cooking?
Removing them lets the skin and meat pull back naturally as the bird cooks, giving a cleaner presentation on the drumsticks once it's done.
Why slip herb butter under the breast skin instead of just seasoning the surface?
Creating pockets between the skin and meat near the neck and stuffing them with fresh herbs and butter seasons the meat directly, and self-bastes it as the butter melts during the cook.
Why position the legs over the banked coals and the breast over indirect heat?
Dark meat needs to reach a higher internal temperature than white meat. Placing the legs over the hotter direct side and the breast over the cooler indirect side helps both finish around the same time, instead of the breast overcooking while the legs catch up.
What internal temperature should the chicken actually reach?
This recipe targets 160°F on the breast, but USDA's minimum safe internal temperature for poultry is 165°F. Cook the breast to at least 165°F rather than pulling at 160°F; the leg/thigh target of 170-175°F is fine as written.
How indoor-friendly is this recipe?
2 out of 5 — a regular oven can roast a spatchcocked bird, but the direct-versus-indirect zone setup and the smoke from dripping butter hitting hot coals are central to this recipe and specific to a live-fire grill.
Recipe Highlights
Cracked breastbone: Flattens the bird for more even cooking.
Herb-butter pockets: Seasons and self-bastes the breast meat from underneath the skin.
Zone-matched placement: Times dark and white meat to finish together.
Drip-smoked flavor: Butter caramelizing on the coals seasons the bird as it cooks.
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Nutrition
Nutrition
- Nutrition Serving Size
- 4 oz
- per serving
- Calories
- 386
- Carbs
- 6 grams
- Protein
- 44 grams
- Fat
- 21 grams
- Sodium
- 159 milligrams
