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Make dinner simple with this one-pan spatchcock chicken and sweet potatoes—a cozy fall sheet pan meal that’s flavorful, healthy, and ready in about an hour.
Sheet Pan Spatchcock Chicken
If you’re looking for a cozy fall dinner that’s hearty, flavorful, and requires only one pan, this Spatchcock Chicken with Sweet Potatoes is the perfect recipe. I make this often when the weather cools because it’s simple enough for a weeknight but impressive enough to serve guests. Plus, cleanup is minimal since
everything roasts on a single sheet pan. Don’t want to spatchcock? Try my Whole Roasted Chicken with Lemon and Rosemary or Buttermilk Air Fryer Whole Chicken.
Why This Recipe Works
Spatchcocking a chicken may sound intimidating, but it’s actually very easy—and the payoff is worth it. Removing the backbone and flattening the bird allows it to cook more evenly and quickly. You can even ask your butcher to do it for you. The result? Juicy chicken with crispy skin and tender, caramelized sweet potatoes, all done in under an hour.
- One-Pan Meal: Roast chicken and sides together on a sheet pan to save you time.
- Faster Cooking Time: Spatchcocking helps the chicken to roast evenly in about 50 minutes.
- Perfect for Meal Prep: Leftover chicken is great for salads, grain bowls, or sandwiches.
- Seasonal Comfort Food: Sweet potatoes make this an ideal fall dinner.
- Dietary Restrictions: Naturally gluten-free, high-protein, high-fiber, and dairy-free
Ingredients You’ll Need
Keep reading for more details on all the ingredients for this baked spatchcock chicken recipe. Check out the recipe card below for the exact measurements.
- Whole Chicken: Buying a whole chicken is more budget-friendly than purchasing packages of chicken parts. Plus, it’s a great way to make both dark-meat and white-meat lovers happy. Everyone can eat what they prefer.
- Spices: Sweet paprika, garlic powder, kosher salt, and ground black pepper are my favorite classic seasonings here.
- Sweet Potatoes are a quintessential fall vegetable, rich in fiber, protein, vitamins A and C, and potassium. We’re cutting the potatoes into large wedges so they will cook in the same amount of time as the meat.
- Shallots or Red Onion: Shallots are smaller, sweeter, and milder than onions, but red onions can also be used.
- Olive Oil adds richness and helps the spices stick to the vegetables.
- Rosemary is a classic fall herb I love with chicken that smells amazing while it roasts.
What is Spatchcock Chicken?
Spatchcocking is the technique of removing the backbone from a whole chicken and flattening it before roasting. This method helps the white and dark meat cook evenly, while ensuring the skin gets crisp and the meat stays juicy. It’s one of my favorite ways to roast a whole bird because it guarantees delicious results every time.
How to Spatchcock a Chicken
You can buy it already spatchcocked, or ask your butcher to spatchcock (AKA butterfly) a chicken, but if you’re up for a challenge, I’ll show you how to do it yourself. I promise it’s simpler than you think!
- Remove and discard the giblets.
- Place the chicken breast-side down and cut along both sides of the backbone with sharp kitchen shears.
- Remove and discard the backbone, or save it to make stock.
- Flip the chicken over and press down on the breastbone until it cracks. This helps the bird lie flat.
How to Roast Spatchcock Chicken
After you prep your chicken and vegetables, the rest of the recipe comes together quickly. Then, you have 50 minutes to clean the kitchen, make a side dish, or just relax until dinner’s ready! See the recipe card at the bottom for printable directions.
- Season the Chicken: Lay the bird flat on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Spray it with oil and sprinkle the spices on both sides.
- Season the Vegetables: Drizzle the vegetables with olive oil and the remaining spices. Arrange them and the rosemary sprigs around the chicken.
- How Long to Cook a Spatchcock Chicken: Roast for 50 to 60 minutes at 400°F. Flip the vegetables halfway through to ensure they brown evenly.
Recipe Tips & Variations
- Swap sweet potatoes for butternut squash, russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, or carrots.
- Try a spice blend like smoked paprika for a smokier flavor or lemon pepper for a twist.
- How can I tell when the chicken is done? Insert an instant-read thermometer into the thigh. Once it reads 165°F, it’s ready.
- Let it rest! Don’t cut the chicken for at least 10 minutes after removing it from the oven. You don’t want all the juices to run out.
- Leftovers? Shred the chicken for tacos, soups, or salads.
- Don’t discard the carcass! Use it to make homemade chicken stock, then use that for any soup recipe that calls for chicken broth.
Storage
- Refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days.
- Reheat in the microwave or air fryer at 350°F until warmed through. You can also eat the chicken cold.
- Freeze the chicken in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
More One-Pot & Sheet Pan Dinners You’ll Love
If you love easy one-pot dinners, try some of my other popular recipes:
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 50 minutes
resting time: 10 minutes
Total: 1 hour 15 minutes
Yield: servings
Serving Size: 1 /4 chicken, 6 pieces potatoes
Cook Mode
Preheat the oven to 400° F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place the chicken on the parchment paper and lay it flat. Spray generously with the olive oil spray and season with the ¾ teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon garlic powder and black pepper, to taste on both sides.
Halve then quarter the sweet potatoes so you have 8 pieces each. Add them to a bowl with shallots or red onion. Drizzle with the olive oil and season with the remaining ½ teaspoon salt, ¾ teaspoon paprika, ¼ teaspoon of black pepper, garlic powder, and rosemary. Add the mixture to the baking sheet surrounding the chicken and nestle in the rosemary.
Transfer the baking sheet to the oven to roast for 50-60 minutes, or until the thickest part of the chicken thigh is 165 degrees F. Flip the vegetables after 30 minutes.
Remove the chicken from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before carving and serving.
Last Step:
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*To spatchcock a chicken at home: Remove any giblets from the cavity of the chicken and discard them. Place the chicken, breast-side down, on a clean work surface. Using kitchen shears, carefully cut along both sides of the backbone to remove it. Flip the chicken over so it is breast-side up, then press firmly on the breastbone with your hands until you hear a crack. This will help the chicken lay flat for even cooking. You can also ask your butcher to remove the backbone from the chicken!
The nutrition will vary depending on if you eat dark meat or white, skin or no skin. This is calculated with 8 ounces skin-on chicken breast.
Serving: 1 /4 chicken, 6 pieces potatoes, Calories: 506 kcal, Carbohydrates: 21 g, Protein: 50 g, Fat: 25 g, Saturated Fat: 6.5 g, Cholesterol: 145 mg, Sodium: 628 mg, Fiber: 5.5 g, Sugar: 11 g
