yogurt marinated spatchcock chicken is two whole birds, flattened and slathered in a garlicky yogurt marinade with sumac, cumin, turmeric and lemon, then roasted right on top of a tray of sliced onions. she roasts covered at 425 degrees F until fall-apart tender, then uncovered until golden, then gets a quick blast under the broiler. it all lands on a big platter with the caramelized onions, drowned in pan juices and finished with toasted almonds and fresh mint.

why this chicken comes out juicy and crispy

tender enough to pull apart with a fork, crispy and freckled on top, and sitting in a puddle of the best pan juices you've ever had. a few decisions make that happen.

flat birds cook better. taking the spine out and pressing each chicken down means the whole bird sits at one even height. the thighs and breasts cook at the same pace, and every inch of skin faces up toward the heat.

yogurt is the tenderizer and the crust. it clings to every nook, keeps the meat juicy while it roasts, and then browns into those little charred spots you want to pick off the tray with your fingers. overnight gives you the most flavor, but 20 minutes still gets you a seriously good chicken. no plan required.

three stages in one oven. parchment and foil trap the steam for the first 45 to 55 minutes, which is where the fall-apart texture comes from. then the cover comes off and the chicken roasts another 20 minutes at the same 425 degrees F, so the skin dries out and turns golden. a final 3 to 5 minutes under the broiler adds the char. juicy AND crispy. you don't have to pick.

I ditched the rack. my first version had the chickens on a rack over the onions. I pulled it out. now the birds sit right on the onions, so every bit of juice and marinade goes straight into them instead of dripping past.

the seasoning went up while I was testing. garlic went from 3 cloves to 4, sumac and cumin both went from 1 teaspoon to 1 1/2, and salt from 2 teaspoons to 2 1/2. yogurt is mellow and soaks up a lot, so the marinade needs to taste bold on its own.

don't skip the rest

I know. it smells incredible and everyone is hovering. give it 10 to 15 minutes out of the oven anyway. the juices settle back into the meat instead of running all over your cutting board, so every slice stays juicy. use that time to toast your almonds and pick your mint.

the onions are the real side dish

six onions looks like way too many when they're piled raw on the tray. trust me, it isn't. they slump down under the chickens into a sweet, jammy, lemony tangle, soaked in chicken juices and tinted gold from the turmeric. the lemon slices go soft and a little bitter in the best way, and the smashed garlic turns creamy.

the onions get their own seasoning too (olive oil, sumac, turmeric, salt and pepper), so they're delish on their own, not just a bed for the chicken. they go right onto the platter with everything else, and honestly, they might be the first thing to disappear.

a few notes on the marinade

full fat plain yogurt. it's thick, so it actually stays on the chicken instead of sliding off into the bowl.

sumac. tart and lemony with a deep red color. it shows up in the marinade and on the onions, so the whole tray tastes connected.

turmeric. it brings warmth and that sunny color. it also stains everything it touches (your cutting board, your fingers, your favorite shirt), so maybe grab an apron.

grated garlic. grating it melts it right into the yogurt, so you get garlic in every bite and no raw chunks.

how to make yogurt marinated spatchcock chicken

1. spatchcock the chickens: remove the spine from each bird, then turn it over and press down firmly to flatten it.

2. make the marinade: in a large bowl, mix the yogurt, 4 grated garlic cloves, sumac, cumin, turmeric, lemon juice, olive oil, 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt and plenty of cracked black pepper until smooth.

3. marinate by adding the chickens to the bowl and coating them all over in the yogurt. let them sit overnight in the fridge for the most flavor, or about 20 minutes if dinner is happening now.

4. build the onion bed: finely slice 6 onions onto a sheet tray. add the sliced lemon and 6 smashed garlic cloves, then the olive oil, sumac, turmeric, salt and pepper. mix it all around so every onion gets coated.

5. roast covered: lay the chickens right on top of the onions, cover the tray with wet parchment paper and then foil, and roast for 45 to 55 minutes, until the meat is tender.

6. uncover by removing the parchment and foil, then keep roasting at 425 degrees F for another 20 minutes, until the chicken is nice and golden. 

7. broil for 3 to 5 minutes, until golden and charred in spots. stay close, the yogurt browns fast.

8. rest the chickens out of the oven for 10 to 15 minutes so the juices can redistribute back into the meat.

9. carve the chickens into pieces and pile them onto a big, beautiful platter with all the caramelized onions. spoon plenty of the pan juices from the bottom of the tray over everything.

10. finish by tasting for seasoning and adding a little more salt if it needs it. scatter the 1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds and a small handful of fresh mint over the top, and bring it to the table.

make it ahead

the overnight marinade is the make-ahead. mix the yogurt, coat the chickens and leave them in the fridge, and tomorrow all that's left is slicing onions and turning on the oven. the busiest part of dinner happens the night before.

what to serve with it

between the chicken, the juices and the onions, this platter is basically a meal already, so keep the rest easy: warm pita for dragging through the juices, a pot of rice, a big crunchy salad…the perfect dinner in my book

faq

what is spatchcock chicken?

spatchcocking means removing the backbone from a whole chicken and pressing it flat. a flat bird cooks more evenly and faster than a whole round one, because the thick and thin parts sit at the same height in the oven. it also puts all the skin on top, which is exactly where you want it when the cover comes off.

do I have to marinate it overnight?

nope. overnight in the fridge gives the yogurt and spices the most time to get into the meat, but about 20 minutes still makes a juicy, flavorful chicken. if you're deciding what's for dinner at 5pm, you can still make this.

why cover it with parchment and foil?

covering the tray traps the steam, which keeps the chicken juicy and gets it to that fall-apart texture in the first 45 to 55 minutes. the wet parchment goes on first so the yogurt doesn't stick to the foil. once it's uncovered, 20 more minutes in the oven and a few under the broiler take care of the crisping.

why do I need to let it rest?

when the chicken comes out of the oven, the juices are still moving around inside the meat. cut it right away and they run out onto the board. 10 to 15 minutes of resting lets them settle back in, so every piece stays juicy. and whatever does end up on the tray goes right over the platter anyway.

is this chicken spicy?

no. cumin, turmeric, and sumac are warm, earthy, and tangy, not hot, and there's no chile in here at all. it's a great one for heat-shy eaters. if you like a kick, you know what to do.

more chicken on the site: my chicken and rice with pistachios and saffron, and my chicken, rice and broccoli with parsley date gremolata. if you need a side to go next to this platter, my toasted basmati herb salad with lemon, honey and almonds has your back.

make it and tell me in the comments: who's fighting over the onions at your table?

xo,

e