Description
This juicy spatchcocked grilled lemon chicken recipe features a whole chicken marinated in a vibrant lemon, garlic, and herb blend. Grilled to perfection with crispy skin and tender meat, it's an impressive yet simple dish perfect for summer barbecues or weekend dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 1 whole 4-5 lb chicken, giblets and neck removed
Marinade
- 1 whole lemon, quartered and seeds removed
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
- 1/4 cup fresh oregano leaves
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
For seasoning and finishing
- Extra kosher salt and ground black pepper for seasoning
- Fresh lemon juice for squeezing over finished chicken
Instructions
- Make the marinade: Cut the lemon into quarters and remove any visible seeds, avoiding thick white pith. Add lemon quarters, olive oil, garlic cloves, Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, Aleppo pepper, chopped dill, oregano leaves, kosher salt, and black pepper into a food processor. Blend until mostly smooth with no large chunks remaining.
- Spatchcock the chicken: Remove chicken from packaging, discard giblets and neck. Pat dry thoroughly inside and out. Lay chicken breast-side down on a cutting board. Using heavy-duty kitchen shears, cut along both sides of the spine to remove it. Flip the chicken breasts side up and press down firmly on the breastbone until you hear a crack and the chicken lays flat. Transfer to a large baking dish.
- Marinate the chicken: Pour the marinade evenly over the chicken, spreading it all around including the underside. Refrigerate uncovered for at least 2 hours and up to 8 hours. Remove from fridge 1 hour before cooking to come to room temperature. Season outside with extra kosher salt and black pepper.
- Prep and preheat the grill: Preheat grill to medium heat using only half the burners for indirect cooking. Clean and lightly grease grates. When grill reaches about 400 F, remove chicken from marinade, shaking off excess. Place chicken breast-side up on the unlit side of the grill as close to the fire as possible without direct heat.
- Grill the chicken: Close grill lid. Grill in 15-minute increments, rotating chicken 180 degrees each time to ensure even cooking. Continue for about 1 hour or until internal temperature at the thickest part reaches 165 F. Flip chicken skin-side down directly over heat for 3-5 minutes to crisp the skin. Remove from grill and squeeze fresh lemon juice over the top. Let rest for 15 minutes before slicing to serve.
Notes
- Spatchcocking the chicken helps it cook evenly and more quickly on the grill.
- If you don’t have Aleppo pepper, use mild chili flakes or smoked paprika as a substitute.
- Allowing the marinated chicken to come to room temperature before grilling ensures more even cooking.
- Use a meat thermometer for best results to avoid over or under cooking.
- You can marinate the chicken overnight for an even deeper flavor, just cover it in the fridge.
- To crisp skin further, you can finish the chicken under a broiler for 2-3 minutes instead of direct grilling.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 390 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 750 mg
- Fat: 27 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 21 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 3 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
