Name: You’ll Love This Easy Lemon Spatchcock Chicken With Roasted Apples, Parsnips and Leeks
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 90 min
Yield: 4-6 servings
Ingredients: 1 whole spatchcocked chicken; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 2 Tbsp parsley, chopped finely; 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves; ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil; 1 tsp lemon zest; 1 Tbsp lemon juice; 1 tsp sea salt; Pinch black pepper; 3 parsnips, chopped into 1-inch cubes; 2 large pink lady apples, chopped into 1-inch cubes; 2 leeks, washed thoroughly, halved and sliced into 1-inch thick pieces; 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil; ½ teaspoon sea salt; A few cracks of pepper; Fresh thyme sprigs; Freshly chopped parsley; Lemon wedges

Cooked spatchcock chicken and roasted veggies on serving tray

Prep Time

30 min

Cook Time

Yields

4-6 servings

We are big fans of sheet pan-style meals where everything cooks together — especially when they’re a show-stopping dish like this. This is one of our favourite ways to cook a whole chicken, because when you spatchcock it, it cooks more evenly and you’re not left with overcooked breasts and undercooked thighs. Roasting apples, parsnips and leeks together with woodsy herbs like thyme has an incredible warming appeal that offers tart, sweet and earthy flavours.

To spatchcock your chicken, flip the chicken so the back is facing up and cut along one side of the backbone from the top to the bottom. Now cut along the other side of the backbone, take it out. Flip the chicken over so it’s laying open in front of you. Using a knife, slice the cartilage that’s found between the breasts and then pull on both sides of the chicken to really open it up. And that’s it! Or if you don’t want to do the heavy lifting here, ask your butcher to do this for you.

Like Tamara and Sarah’s spatchcock chicken recipe? Try their sumac-spiced roasted delicata and their 5-ingredient beef Bolognese.

ingredients

Chicken

whole spatchcocked chicken

cloves garlic, minced

Tbsp parsley, chopped finely

tsp fresh thyme leaves

cup extra virgin olive oil

tsp lemon zest

Tbsp lemon juice

tsp sea salt

Pinch black pepper

Apples, Parsnips and Leeks

parsnips, chopped into 1-inch cubes

large pink lady apples, chopped into 1-inch cubes

leeks, washed thoroughly, halved and sliced into 1-inch thick pieces

Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

teaspoon sea salt

A few cracks of pepper

Garnish

Fresh thyme sprigs

Freshly chopped parsley

Lemon wedges

Ingredient Substitution Guide

directions

Spatchcock chicken ingredients on kitchen counter

Step 1

Spatchcock your chicken if you did not buy one pre-spatchcocked. Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Step 2

Combine all marinade ingredients in a bowl: garlic, parsley, thyme leaves, olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, sea salt and black pepper.

Step 3

Chop the fruit and veggies and lay them out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss around to ensure all pieces are seasoned well.

Step 4

Push the fruit and veggies to the side and create space in the middle for the chicken. Lay the spatchcocked chicken down and then nuzzle it with the fruit and vegetables.

Lemon spatchcock chicken with veggies on roasting pan

Step 5

Spread some of the marinade under the skin of the chicken and then spread the rest mostly on top of the bird. Rub a small amount on the underside. Roast in the oven for 1 hour.

Step 6

When you’re ready to eat, garnish with fresh thyme, fresh parsley and lemon wedges.

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You’ll Love This Easy Lemon Spatchcock Chicken With Roasted Apples, Parsnips and Leeks