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Easy Keto Spatchcock Chicken

This low-carb spatchcock chicken is a great option for any time you want to cook a whole chicken quickly. It’s great for busy weeknights.

Most people would agree that making whole roasted chicken at home is comfort food at its best.

Unfortunately, The only problem is that it takes so long to cook an entire bird. This is why it’s usually reserved for the weekends when you have more time in the kitchen. Well, I have a solution for this.

Enter the spatchcock method of cooking chicken. Not familiar with spatchcock cooking? Let me tell you that you’re going to love this method of cooking poultry.

I have a complete list of  Keto Chicken Recipes that if you’re a fan of chicken meals you should check out to help you with your weekly meal p.lanning

Keto Spatchcock Chicken

Keto spicy mustard spatchcock chicken Pinterest pin
Keto spicy mustard spatchcock chicken

I prepared a spicy mustard marinade to flavor this keto chicken recipe.

The flavor of spicy mustard, apple cider vinegar, Italian herbs, and a little heat kick from sriracha come together for a very tasty chicken recipe.

The following are all the ingredients needed to make a keto spicy mustard spatchcock chicken.

Note that the full printable recipe card is at the very bottom of the page.

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Ingredients Needed To Make A Spicy Spatchcock Mustard Chicken

Keto spatchcock chicken marinade process pictures
Keto spatchcock chicken marinade process pictures

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. 

  • Large roasting chicken 

Spicy Mustard Marinade

What Is Spatchcock Cooking?

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spatchcock chicken process pictures
spatchcock chicken process pictures

Spatchcock also known as shuttlecock, is a way to prepare poultry for roasting or grilling. The whole backbone of the chicken is removed, which allows for the chicken to lay flat in your roasting pan.

In essence, you’re butterflying the chicken for easy cooking.

Reasons To Spatchcock A Chicken

Wondering why you should consider spatchcocking a whole chicken? There are many great reasons, the following are my favorite.

  • What I love about spatchcocking chicken is that it allows the skin to be super crisp while still keeping the meat moist. Plus you can cook the chicken in about half the time it takes to roast a whole bird.
  • For one it cuts the cooking time in half which translates into a juicer bird. Less time in the oven means that it’s less likely to dry out your meat.
  • Spatchcock is a simple technique that will get you in and out of your kitchen faster.
  • Besides roasting a whole chicken in half the time, it makes a more elegant presentation and makes carving a chicken much easier.
  • Extra flavor is one of the benefits of cooking your chicken this way. More of the chicken surface is exposed allowing the marinade to really adhere to the chicken. 

How To Spatchcock Chicken

keto Spicy Mustard Spatchcock Chicken
Low Carb Spicy Mustard Spatchcock Chicken

First, rinse your chicken with water and then pat dry with paper towels. Next, lay your chicken on a cutting board that can accommodate your whole bird.

Open the cavity of your chicken and remove the neck, gizzards, and heart. You can freeze these and use them when making chicken broth.

To spatchcock your chicken, carefully cut out on both sides of the backbone of the chicken using a pair of kitchen shears.

To do so, find the backbone and then cut along each side of the spine. What you want is to separate it from the ribs. 

It’s key to cut as close as possible to the spine so as to not remove too much of the chicken meat.

Alternatively, you can remove the spine by cutting from the neck hole instead.

If you are having trouble removing the entire spine, it may help to rotate the chicken so that the tailbone is facing you and then cut through this end.

Don’t toss the backbone. Reserve the spine for the next time you make chicken stock. Trust me you don’t want to miss out on the flavor the neck bones provide.

By removing the spine of your chicken you can now flatten your bird easily and allow it to cook evenly.

I find that cutting a small incision to the cartilage on the back of the breastbone makes it easier to then press your chicken flat.

So cut the cartilage then transfer your chicken bone side down unto the cutting board. Using both your hands give a firm push to make the chicken lay flat.

Your chicken will now be ready to be marinated and baked.

Prepping And Seasoning Your Keto Spatchcock Chicken

keto spicy mustard roasted chicken
keto spicy mustard roasted chicken

One way I save time is by prepping my keto spatchcock chicken ahead of time so that I can have my chicken ready to roast when pressed for time.

This way I can easily meal plan my keto meals for the week.

Prepare your marinade by mixing all the ingredients into a small bowl and combining well.

Once your chicken has been spatchcocked you can easily baste the chicken with the marinade on both sides using a pastry brush being sure to coat the chicken well.

Be careful not to tear the skin. You want the skin intact so that it can produce tasty, crispy skin and so that the marinade doesn’t dry out.

Before you place your chicken into the oven, make sure you tuck the wings underneath the bird to prevent them from overcooking.

At this time, you can either bake your chicken immediately or allow it to be marinated for up to 24 hours in your refrigerator.

After you learn how to spatchcock a chicken, you’ll be looking for other poultry to spatchcock.

Tools You’ll Need To Make A Spatchcock Chicken

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

The most important tool you’ll need when you want to spatchcock a chicken is a pair of good kitchen shears.

You want a sturdy pair that can handle cutting through the chicken easily. You can of course also use a sharp chef’s knife, but kitchen shears make for a much easier process.

I also recommend a meat thermometer so that the chicken is cooked properly.

How Long Do You Cook A Spatchcock Chicken?

To cook your chicken, place the seasoned chicken on a large rimmed baking sheet, breast side up. Remember to tuck the wings underneath the chicken.

I like cooking spatchcock chicken in a preheated 450 degrees F. oven.  A 5-pound roasting chicken can take anywhere from 50-60 minutes to cook.

Be sure to allow the chicken to rest for about 10 minutes before serving so that the juices in the chicken do not escape.

How Do You Know When Spatchcock Chicken Is Done?

The simplest way to tell when your spatchcock chicken is ready is to use a meat thermometer.

Once the thermometer registers 165 degrees F. in the thickest part of the chicken thigh it’s safe to eat.

You do not want to overcook the chicken as it will not be as juicy and flavorful.

Other Keto Whole Bird Recipes You Can Spatchcock

The following whole bird recipes can be spatchcocked with great success. Just keep in mind that the baking time will be reduced.

Keto Cuban Mojo Chicken

Keto Harissa Sumac Chicken

Keto Cuban Mojo Turkey

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I sure hope you will try this keto spicy mustard spatchcock chicken recipe. Once you do, make sure you remember to tag us on Instagram and Facebook.

Doing so is what keeps this girl encouraged to keep sharing and perfecting her recipes.

Consider visiting also visiting our Amazon Store for recommendations. You might be surprised by how many great keto options are at your disposal.

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In case you don’t know we have authored two books for you, Essential Keto Bread and Essential Keto Desserts both inspired by your requests over the years. 

It’s my prayer these keto cookbooks will help make keto a delicious breeze for you. Gain access to simple and delicious recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and even desserts with our FITTOSERVEGROUP APP.

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keto Spicy Mustard Spatchcock Chicken

Keto Spatchcock Chicken

Yield: 6
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Additional BakingTime: 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

This recipe for keto spatchcock chicken is a delicious and easy way to cook a whole chicken in half the time. The chicken is spatchcocked and seasoned in a spicy mustard marinade.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. First, rinse your chicken with water and then pat dry with paper towels. Next, lay your chicken on a cutting board that can accommodate your whole chicken.
  2. Open the cavity of your chicken and remove the neck, gizzards, and heart. You can freeze these and use them when making chicken broth.
  3. To spatchcock your chicken, carefully cut out on both sides of the backbone of the chicken using a pair of sharp kitchen shears. To do so, find the backbone and then cut along each side of the spine. What you want is to separate it from the ribs. 
  4. It's key to cut as close as possible to the spine so as to not remove too much of the chicken meat.
  5. Alternatively, you can remove the spine by cutting from the neck hole instead.
  6. If you are having trouble removing the entire spine, it may help to rotate the chicken so that the tailbone is facing you and then cut through this end.
  7. Don't toss the backbone. Reserve the spine for the next time you make chicken stock. Trust me you don’t want to miss out on the flavor the neck bones provide.
  8. By removing the spine of your chicken you can now flatten your bird easily and allow it to cook evenly.
  9. I find that cutting a small incision to the cartilage on the back of the breast bone makes it easier to then press your chicken flat.
  10. So cut the cartilage then transfer your chicken bone side down unto the cutting board. Using both your hands give a firm push to make the chicken lay flat.
  11. Your chicken will now be ready to be marinated and baked.
  12. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
  13. Make the marinade by combining all ingredients in a small bowl.
  14. Transfer your prepared chicken to a large rimmed baking sheet. Using a pastry brush, brush both sides of the chicken with the marinade being sure to get into all the crevices. Be sure to tuck the chicken wings underneath the bird to prevent them from overcooking.
  15. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley.
  16. Store leftovers for up to 3 days in the refrigerator or freeze for up to 3 weeks.

Notes

You can marinate the chicken for up to 24 hours in the refrigerator.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 850Total Fat: 39.8gSaturated Fat: 9.4gCholesterol: 340mgSodium: 800mgCarbohydrates: 0.7gNet Carbohydrates: 0.6gFiber: 0.1gSugar: 0.4gProtein: 100.1g

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

 

Lisa Gonzalez

Monday 5th of November 2018

I will be definitely trying this out!!

Hilda Solares

Monday 5th of November 2018

Will make cooking a whole chicken a breeze.

Wendy

Thursday 23rd of June 2016

Hilda, this looks absolutely delicious! I never learned the art of cutting a chicken (you're lucking if you can tell a wing from a thigh when I'm done!), but I think I could handle cutting out the backbone. ;-) Sharing and pinning and using this recipe the next time I cook a whole chicken! Glad to have found you from Bloggers Pit Stop!

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Thursday 23rd of June 2016

Hi Wendy, so thrilled you found my blog and that my little recipe inspires. ?? off to find your blog and give you a follow. Don't you just love Janice? She is my go to person for all things blogging ?

Kathleen Aherne (@CoolTweed)

Monday 20th of June 2016

Hello Hilda, lovely to see you in the Bloggers Pit Stop. What a wonderful chicken recipe, it sounds great and looks nice and quick. Kathleen Bloggers Pit Stop

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Monday 20th of June 2016

Hi Kathleen, I appreciate the opportunity to link in the Bloggers Pit stop. Thanks for stopping by our blog and commenting ?

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