Spatchcock Hen delivers juicy meat with completely golden-brown pores and skin that’s onerous to beat. Whether or not it’s Sunday dinner, Friday night time Peri Peri Hen or your first bbq of the season, mastering this easy method leads to completely even cooking, while slicing down the general cooking time.

Nicky’s Recipe Notes
Spatchcocking hen or butterflying hen has bought so many benefits:
- It quickens the cooking time. The hen is laid out flat, so principally the entire meat is in a single layer (moderately than thighs and wings being hidden beneath). This implies the warmth can entry the entire meat simply and extra evenly. For a medium (1.4kg/3lb) hen, this cuts the cooking time down from approx 80 minutes to round 45-50 minutes.
- Having the entire meat and pores and skin dealing with upwards means extra floor space for the warmth to penetrate. This implies the pores and skin will get crispier throughout and the meat will prepare dinner extra evenly (on a non-butterflied hen, the breast meat often cooks faster than the thigh meat)
- It’s simpler to season evenly – simply brush or sprinkle seasoning everywhere in the high floor of the buterflied hen.
- It’s simpler to carve – no hidden bits and turning the hen over when carving.
📋 Elements

One entire hen. This one weighs approx 1.4kg (3lbs). You possibly can spatchock or buterrfly any measurement hen. The bigger the hen, the longer it would take to prepare dinner.
📺 butterfly a hen (video)
Keep up to date with new recipes!
Subscribe to the publication to listen to after I submit a brand new recipe. I’m additionally on YouTube (new movies each week) and Instagram (behind-the-scenes tales & stunning meals images).
Dietary data is approximate.
That is based mostly on a 1.4kg hen offering 980g meat (approx 70% yield of meat).
As soon as cooked, the meat will weigh approx 735g (when cooked, hen meat weighs approx 25% much less because of water evaporation).
Serving: 123g | Energy: 207kcal | Protein: 31g | Fats: 8g | Saturated Fats: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 2g | Monounsaturated Fats: 3g | Ldl cholesterol: 93mg | Sodium: 93mg
Diet data is mechanically calculated, so ought to solely be used as an approximation.
? Ceaselessly Requested Questions
For a medium (1.4kg/3lb) hen, roast at 220C/425F (fan) for approx 45 minutes – or till the interior temperature reaches 75C/165F. Test after 35 minutes, inserting a cooking thermometer into the thickest a part of the meat.
Sure, a spatchcocked hen can take a better temperature. It cooks extra evenly – being flattened (with a reasonably even thickness) – so you’ll be able to prepare dinner in a faster time, at a better temperature, with out it drying out.
Cooking it faster at a better temperature can really maintain the meat juicier, as there’s much less time throughout cooking for the moisture to flee.
You don’t should prepare dinner at a better temperature although – 180C/350F (fan) is completely effective. It might simply take somewhat (10 minutes or so) longer. Test the interior temperature to make sure.
– It quickens the cooking time. The hen is laid out flat, so principally the entire meat is in a single layer (moderately than thighs and wings being hidden beneath). This implies the warmth can entry the entire meat simply and extra evenly. For a medium (1.4kg/3lb) hen, this cuts the cooking time all the way down to round 45 minutes.
– Having the entire meat and pores and skin dealing with upwards means extra floor space for the warmth to penetrate. This implies the pores and skin will get crispier throughout and the meat will prepare dinner extra evenly (on a non-butterflied hen, the breast meat often cooks faster than the thigh meat)
– It’s simpler to season evenly – simply brush or sprinkle seasoning everywhere in the high floor of the buterflied hen.
– It’s simpler to carve – no hidden bits and turning the hen over when carving.
🍲 Extra entire hen recipes
Among the hyperlinks on this submit could also be affiliate hyperlinks – which implies if you happen to purchase the product I get a small fee (at no additional price to you). When you do purchase, then thanks! That’s what helps us to maintain Kitchen Sanctuary working. The dietary data supplied is approximate and may fluctuate relying on a number of components. For extra data please see our Phrases & Circumstances.