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If you are looking for a simple and delicious meal then look no further than this chimichurri spatchcock chicken dish. The chicken is tender, juicy and full of amazing flavor. The chimichurri adds the perfect balance of freshness, herbiness and savoriness.
Table of Contents
Step 1: How to make the best chimichurri sauce
Start off with finely chopping an entire batch of parsley and cilantro. I have seen this done with parsley only, with cilantro only or both. In my personal opinion, an equal mix of both makes it just right.
Next add a tablespoon of freshly minced garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, red wine vinegar, freshly squeezed lemon juice and olive oil. Mix these ingredients together with a spoon, not a food processor and you are done! Yes, it’s that simple.
Dad’s Seasonings
Must have grillin seasonings!
Step 2: How to spatchcock a chicken
To start, cut out the backbone from the chicken with sheers or a sharp knife. This process of spatchcocking or butterflying will allow the chicken to cook more evenly and quickly. Press down hard on the breast bone to break it so the chicken can lay nice and flat. Pat the entire chicken dry.
Pour half of the homemade chimichurri sauce over the whole chicken. Gently lift the skin on over the breast and spread some of the sauce inside. This will allow the flavors to better absorb into the meat, extending the flavor more into the chicken.
Next, cover the outside generously with Dad’s Steak Seasoning and place it in the fridge for 30 minutes allowing all the flavors to penetrate into the meat. The seasoning will add another delicious layer of garlic, butter and herbs making this the perfect chimichurri spatchcock chicken.
Step 3: How to grill the perfect chimichurri spatchcock chicken
Preheat the grill to 375 degrees and set it for indirect heat. Place the chicken skin side up and cook until the breast registers an internal temperature of 160 degrees. Total cook time should be around 45 minutes depending on the side of the bird. Move the grilled chicken to the direct side over the coals just shy of 160 degrees to get the skin nice and crispy.
Remove it from the grill and let it rest for 10-15 minutes. This is a very important step in this process. During the rest period, the chicken will start to cool down and the cooking process will stop. The juices will redistribute inside the meat, giving you a much better final product. It will also bring up the final temp on the chicken to 165 degrees.
Before serving, pour the remaining sauce over the chimichurri spatchcock chicken and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions:
All my recipes can be replicated in the oven, stove top or gas grill. You do not need a big green egg or weber grill to replicate any of my recipes.
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Chimichurri Spatchcock Chicken
Ingredients
Chicken Ingredients
- 1 Whole chicken
- 2 tbsp Dad's Steak Seasoning
Chimichurri Ingredients
- 1 Batch of parsley
- 1 Batch of cilantro
- 2 tbsp Red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp Minced garlic
- 1 tbsp Crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tbsp Salt
- 1/2 cup Olive oil
Instructions
- Start by preparing the chimichurri sauce first. Finely chop an entire batch of parsley and cilantro. Next add a tablespoon of freshly minced garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, red wine vinegar, freshly squeezed lemon juice and olive oil. Mix these ingredients together.
- Cut out the backbone from the chicken with sheers or a sharp knife. Press down hard on the breast bone to break it so the chicken can lay nice and flat. Pat the entire chicken dry.
- Pour half of the homemade chimichurri sauce over the whole chicken. Gently lift the skin on over the breast and spread some of the sauce inside.
- Season the outside generously with Dad's Steak Seasoning and place it in the fridge for 30 minutes
- Preheat the grill to 375 degrees and set it for indirect heat.
- Place the chicken skin side up and cook until the breast registers an internal temperature of 160 degrees. Move the grilled chicken to the direct side over the coals just shy of 160 degrees to get the skin nice and crispy.
- Remove it from the grill and let it rest for 10-15 minutes.
