How To Spatchcock Chicken + Morrocan Spice Rubbed Chicken Recipe

Moroccan Roast Chicken | www.rtwgirl.com

When I first started cooking, I failed hard at cooking chicken. I remember buying a whole chicken, reading a recipe, following said recipe yet still having an underdone chicken. The results were a very dry bird after cooking it longer in the oven. What a miserable meal! Now I can cook chicken like a master but my friend Desiree taught me how to spatchcock chicken which makes it even easier and quicker. You can roast or barbecue a spatchcocked chicken in 30 minutes. If you’re scared about underdone chickens, try this method.

What is spatchcock you ask? It’s when you cut open a chicken and cook it. I made a Moroccan spice rub and roasted the chicken over a bed of carrots, sweet potatoes, onions, and cauliflower. How Paleo!

Here’s how to spatchcock a chicken:

  • Take your whole chicken and lay it on a cutting board.
  • There is usually a heart, gizzards, neck bone, etc in the cavity. Take it out. You can toss this but I saved the neck bone to make broth and then cooked the heart and whatnot to give to Maggie the Lab.
  • Take a pair of kitchen scissors and remove the backbone. Cut as close as you can. You’re going to have to cut close and hard and hear some bones crunch.
  • Turn chicken around and then cut the other side. Save the backbone along with the neck for chicken stock.
  • Flip open the chicken and press down and flatten it.
  • And done!

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Here’s a photo of me spatchcocking this chicken:

Spatchcock Chicken | www.rtwgirl.com

I then put the bird in the roaster and put it in the fridge to dry out. A dry bird makes the crispiest skin so that is why you should dry it out. If you don’t have time, pat it dry with some paper towel.

Spatchcocking A Chicken | www.rtwgirl.comSpatchcocked bird

Moroccan Spice Rub | www.rtwgirl.comMoroccan Spice Rub

To make a Moroccan spice rub, I added these ingredients together and mix in a bowl/container. I found this recipe on Epicurious.

  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Moroccan Roast Chicken | www.rtwgirl.comNow take the rub and rub the chicken with it. I put it back in the fridge for a bit.

Veggies To Roast - Moroccan Dinner

I chopped sweet potatoes, onions, carrots and cauliflower and sprinkled it with the rub

Moroccan RoastNow that the bird on the veggies!

Cook at 400 degrees for 30 minutes! I checked on the veggies midway and moved them around with a spatula.

Moroccan Dinner

Kaboom! Delicious spatchcock chicken with a Moroccan spice rub and roasted veggies!

Have you ever tried to spatchcock chicken before? Tell me what you think if you try this recipe! My friends loved it!

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Spatchcock Chicken + Moroccan Spice Rub recipe

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