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This is such a simple and good recipe. I also think it makes a really nice presentation for guests. We know spatchcocked as cutting the backbone of a chicken or turkey so that the poultry can be cooked flat on a grill or in a skillet. The historical term referenced a culled immature male chicken. I have made a few recipes using this technique including a basic spatchcocked chicken. I have also made a number of chicken dishes using the broiler in the oven to get the same effect on the skin of the chicken including this Lemon Chicken. My Spatchcocked Sriracha Chicken has both a great char and super flavor.
Spatchcocked Sriracha Chicken
This recipe could not be any simpler. This is a perfect recipe for a weeknight meal. The preparation will only take a few minutes and all the time needed for this dish is cooking the chicken in the oven. I love to work with my cast iron skillet. The cast iron skillet has the perfect cooking surface for a spatchcocked chicken. The surface warms evenly through out so the chicken skin can get a nice char. The other thing I love about my cast iron skillet is the flexibility to use it on the stove top, and then, move it directly to the oven. Whether I am cooking steak, chicken or fish, I used this same cooking process – char the flesh or skin and finish cooking in the oven to get an even cooking on the meat.
Getting back to this recipe and to show you how easy it is, the chicken starts skin side down in the skillet with a little oil. After 3 – 4 minutes, depending on how high your flame is, flip the chicken over, the sriracha is brushed on the top, and the chicken goes into the oven. It is literally that simple and the flavor is so good. Don’t think that sriracha makes this spicy. If sriracha is used moderately, it adds really good flavor.
The chicken cooking and charring in the cast iron skillet.
Chicken Spatchedcocked Cut
The Spatchcocked Sriracha Chicken out of the oven.
Spatchcocked Sriracha Chicken Plated
- 1 whole chicken, split
- 4 chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 2 tablespoons sriracha
- Salt & Pepper to taste
- Cut the backbone out of the whole chicken.
- Liberally spice all the chicken with the salt and pepper.
- Heat the oil in a cast iron skillet on medium high heat.
- Add the chicken skin side down and cook for 3 - 4 minutes.
- Turn the chicken over and move to a 325 degree oven.
- Cook for approximately 15 minutes.
- Brush on the sriracha sauce and cook for another 5 plus minutes.
- Remove from oven and let rest for 2 - 3 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy!
I’ve cooked chicken this way many times and find so many recipes I want to try. It’s nice to seat them and throw them in the oven and go on about your day, because the cooking time is always around an hour. I’m wondering why this one only needs to cook for 15 minutes!
You are 100% right. I tried to go back to update the recipe but having a problem with the content. I agree this will take 45 – 60 minutes. I now regularly using a thermometer to test doneness.
this looks amazing! I am looking forward to trying it!
I am so glad Gaye.
This reminds me of my chicken under brick and I am loving the dark crispy skin!
That is the exact same concept Patty. I need to try your idea.
I really like sriracha but never think to use it at home, need to rectify that, thanks Peter!
I probably use it more frequently than any other ingredient. Well maybe but a lot.
I need to make this asap! Looks so perfect!
It is quite tasty and easy to make.
I have made whole roasted chicken many times, but never spatchcocked one yet! Need to give it a try soon! Your version with Sriracha sounds and looks fabulous!
Thank you very much. You should try it. You will love what it does to the skin.
That chicken looks awesome! I am a beginner at cooking whole chickens, but the way you presented this one makes me want to run to the market for a chicken right now!!
This is a very forgiving cooking method. So give it a try.
Oh man, this looks amazing. That skin is so gorgeous and golden. I’ve never cooked a chicken using this method before, but now I’m dying to try!
Let me know if you do Tracy. I will be watching to see if you try it.
What beautiful color on that chicken! My husband does spatchcocked chicken on the grill a lot but I’ve never done it in the oven! I’ll have to try it!
It is a great fallback if the weather is not good outside.
I adore my cast iron cookware.. so far I just have a skillet and dutch oven. I keep looking at the enameled dutch ovens.. but yikes they’re pricey. This recipe looks very flavorful and easy!
I have only one Dutch oven – they are expensive. I love it as well. Between that and the cast iron, I use them all the time.
This is a great one-pot chicken meal and so easy! Leave the bird whole and throw it in the pot, love that! Must try spatchcock method now, thanks for the idea!
It does make life easy and using a cast iron skillet makes clean up a jif.
I desperately need a cast iron skillet. It’s #1 on my must buy when I get back to the USA list! Looks great and so easy to make!
You will love it once you have it. So flexible.
I recently spatchcocked a chicken, and it’s really fun! It definitely helps if you have really good shears or really sharp knives. If you take it a couple steps further, you can debone nearly the whole bird, and you wind up being able to slice it as if it were a sheet cake.
I share your enthusiasm for both the spatchcock method and cast iron skillets! Sriracha is a great ingredient, and sometimes simple is best. Looks great!
Thx so much Tamara.
I have made spatchcocked chicken two times and love it…alas could not blog it because my photos were awful! Yours are beautiful! Yum and love the cast iron skillet idea!
Thx. I love when fellow bloggers say they like my photos.