Spatchcock Chicken with Alabama White BBQ Sauce
Crispy oven roasted spatchcock chicken seasoned with smoked paprika, garlic, and black pepper, then served with a creamy, tangy Alabama white barbecue sauce.
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 1 whole chicken
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- 1 to 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
- 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
For the Alabama White BBQ Sauce
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 clove garlic finely grated
- Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- Pinch of cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon sugar
Instructions
Spatchcock the Chicken
- Place the chicken breast side down on a cutting board. Using sturdy kitchen shears, cut along both sides of the backbone and remove it. Also. snip off the wing tips at the joint. Save the backbone and wing tips in a freezer bag to use for chicken stock.
- Turn the chicken breast side up and press down firmly on the breastbone to flatten the chicken.
- Place the chicken on a rack and season all over with kosher salt. Let it sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before cooking. For even better flavor and crispier skin, salt the chicken the day before and leave it uncovered on a rack in the refrigerator overnight.
Season and Roast
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
- In a small bowl, combine the smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and plenty of freshly cracked black pepper.
- Place the chicken breast side up on a rack set over a parchment lined sheet pan. Spread the mustard over the chicken, then drizzle with olive oil and rub everything together to create a smooth coating.
- Sprinkle the seasoning mixture evenly over the chicken and rub it in to coat.
- Roast at 425°F (220°C) for about 45 minutes, or until the thickest part reaches about 155 to 160°F. If the spices begin to get too dark, tent the chicken loosely with foil for the final 10 minutes.
- Remove the chicken from the oven and tent loosely with foil. Let it rest for about 30 minutes, allowing the temperature to continue rising to 165°F.
Make the Alabama White BBQ Sauce
- While the chicken cooks, whisk together the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, salt, grated garlic, black pepper, cayenne, and sugar.
- Taste and adjust the seasonings. Add another splash of apple cider vinegar if you'd like a little more tang.
Carve and Serve
- Once the chicken has rested, carve it by removing the leg and thigh sections first, followed by the breasts. Slice the breast meat and separate the drumsticks from the thighs.
- Drizzle the Alabama white barbecue sauce generously over the chicken before serving.
- Save the chicken bones and any other usable scraps in the freezer for making chicken stock.
Video
Notes
- Serve the chicken with roasted sweet potatoes and a simple cabbage slaw. You can also use the Alabama white barbecue sauce as the slaw dressing.
- Roasted Sweet Potatoes - For an easy side, halve sweet potatoes and place them cut-side up on a sheet pan coated with about 1 tablespoon of coconut oil. Season with salt and roast alongside the chicken. After about 15 minutes, flip the sweet potatoes cut-side down and continue roasting until deeply caramelized and tender, about 20-30 minutes.
- Simple Cabbage Slaw - Thinly slice green and red cabbage and toss with some of the Alabama White BBQ sauce. Add a splash of apple cider vinegar and a pinch of salt to taste.
