Sweet, subtly boozy and super easy, this Bourbon and Honey Roasted Spatchcock Chicken is the perfect roast chicken recipe for a crowd!

They say that a rotisserie chicken is worth its weight in gold and you guys, I whole heartedly agree! But, what’s even better is how easy it is to roast your own chicken at home. I make a version of this recipe every few weeks, especially when we have friends over!

The trick of flattening the chicken actually helps it to cook more evenly. The legs are able to cook more quickly and the chicken breasts don’t end up getting over cooked and dried out. Sure, spatchcock might be a weird word but its really just another term for ‘seriously delicious’!

The hardest part (which I promise really isn’t all that hard) is prepping the chicken for roasting. You’ll just need a hearty pair of kitchen shears! But, whatever you do, don’t toss the backbone after you remove it. Add it to a big stock pot with some onion, carrot, celery, a few cups of water and simmer for a few hours for a flavorful chicken stock. Or, grab your slow cooker and make my Slow Cooker Chicken Stock!

Serve this spatchcock chicken with a giant green salad, a pile of saucy pasta or some perfectly roasted veggies! However you serve it, the left overs make for a seriously awesome brown bag lunch!

Bourbon and Honey Roasted Spatchcock Chicken

Print Recipe

Sweet, subtly boozy and super easy, this Bourbon and Honey Roasted Spatchcock Chicken is the perfect roast chicken recipe for a crowd!

Author: Kristen
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Yield: 6 Servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale

1 whole chicken (3 1/2 to 4 pounds)
1/2 cup bourbon
1/2 cup honey
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon coarse Kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

Instructions

Heat oven to 450°F. Place chicken, breast side down, on cutting board. Using heavy-duty kitchen scissors or poultry shears, cut closely along one side of backbone from thigh end to neck. Repeat on other side. Remove backbone, and discard. Turn chicken over so breast side is up; press down to flatten breast area by pressing firmly with heel of hand.
In a 1-quart saucepan, combine the bourbon, honey, red pepper, lime juice, garlic, red pepper, salt and pepper. Heat over medium heat and bring to a boil stirring frequently until the mixture is reduced to 1/2 cup, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; set aside.
Place the chicken in a 1-gallon ziplock bag and pour the cooled bourbon and honey mixture over the chicken. Seal the bag and turn the chicken over to coat. Marinate in the fridge at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.
Remove the chicken from the marinade, reserve marinade for cooking and serving with the finished chicken.
Transfer the chicken to a wire rack set in a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. This will allow the chicken to crisp up on both sides.
Roast the chicken uncovered for 30 minutes, brush with 1/4 cup of the reserved marinade. Roast the chicken an additional 15 to 20 minutes or until juice of chicken is clear when thickest pieces are cut to the bone (at least 165°F).
Remove the chicken from the oven, transfer to a cutting board and loosely tent the chicken with foil. Allow the chicken to rest 5 minutes before carving.
While the chicken is resting, transfer the remaining marinade into a small saucepan and boil over medium heat until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Serve chicken with remaining cooked bourbon and honey sauce.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 417
Sugar: 12g
Sodium: 520mg
Fat: 20g
Saturated Fat: 8g
Unsaturated Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 12g
Fiber: 0g
Protein: 28g
Cholesterol: 108mg

Do you have a favorite chicken recipe? Tell me about it in the comments below!

Still interested in some tasty chicken? Try one of these recipes…
Simply Whole Roasted Chicken with Lemon from Inspired Taste
40 Cloves of Garlic Roast Chicken from Foodie Crush
The Juiciest Beer Can Chicken from How Sweet It Is
Jalapeño Lime Roasted Chicken from We Are Not Martha

Or, try my Bourbon and Honey Cilantro Lime Chicken…

Or how about some Grilled Chicken with Chimichurri…

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Bourbon and Honey Roasted Spatchcock Chicken