Baked Spatchcock Chicken in Vegetables

This one-pan baked spatchcock chicken is made with potatoes, baby zucchini, and Egyptian magic red sauce! If you've never tried roasted butterflied chicken, it's so easy to make. This roasted one-pan chicken dish is tender, juicy, and perfect for a weeknight meal.

We normally make some rice to go along with this dish, however, it can be eaten as is (like I did when making this exact meal today). The Egyptian magic red sauce with roasted chicken is finger-licking good.

The chickens in Abu Dhabi are smaller than in the US, so I've included a few adjustments for larger chickens in the recipe card.

How to Spatchcock a Whole Chicken

It's very easy to spatchcock a chicken. All you need are some good kitchen shears or a sharp knife. I'm using kitchen shears in the picture below to spatchcock the chicken.

1. Turn the chicken over with the backbone on top.
2. Cut on either side of the backbone.
3. Flip the chicken back over and press the breast down to flatten out.

Ingredient Notes

• Whole Chicken: Use a whole chicken. You can also make this dish with a whole chicken cut into pieces. I've also made this dish with chicken thighs, chicken breasts, and chicken legs. I prefer to have the skin on (for that extra crisp at the end), but all of these options are just fine. As the chicken slowly cooks in the red sauce, the flavors will blend together in an amazing way.
• Egyptian Magic Red Sauce: This red sauce is made from fresh tomatoes, onions, garlic, olive oil, and salt. It doesn't take very long to make, and it's freezer friendly. I always have a batch in the freezer on hand to make Bamia or this chicken and potatoes a one-pan meal.
• Potatoes: I use golden potatoes, Yukon potatoes, russet potatoes, or any other type of white potato.
• Baby Zucchini: In the Middle East the word for this is cousa. In Abu Dhabi, they call it marrow. I don't know what it's really called in the US, to be honest. If all you can find is a regular zucchini, that will work too.

What Is a Spatchcocked Chicken?

A spatchcocked chicken is a whole chicken that is butterflied flat. The whole chicken is one piece and takes less time to cook.

Tips and Tricks

1. Make the Egyptian magic red sauce. This sauce is the main flavor for the roasted butterflied chicken meal. It's quick to make, and a little goes a long way.
2. Slice the potatoes and zucchini thinly. This allows the vegetables to cook quickly as well as absorb more of the sauce flavor.
3. Use a dutch oven. My favorite dutch oven is made by Le Creuset, and I've had it for 10 years. I like that I can use the dutch oven on the stovetop and inside the oven with or without the lid.
4. Bake at 350 ℉ (175 ℃) covered. Add the spatchcocked chicken to the vegetables, cover the dutch oven, and place it in the oven. The cook time will vary depending on the size of the chicken.
5. Roast uncovered at 400 ℉ (200 ℃). Once the chicken and vegetables have cooked, roast uncovered to crispen up the chicken.
6. Add ½ cup of water or chicken broth. I add a little bit of liquid to the pot before covering and sticking it in the oven. This makes sure that nothing dries out.

Try These Side Dishes

• Lebanese Vermicelli Rice in an Instant Pot
• Shredded Cabbage Salad
• Killer Fatoush Salad
• Tabouli with Quinoa

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📋 Recipe

Baked Spatchcock Chicken in Vegetables

Author: Lily

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: Egyptian

Prep: 15 minutes mins

Cook: 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Total: 1 hour hr 25 minutes mins

5 from 1 vote

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Servings 4

This baked spatchcock chicken recipe is tender, juicy, and flavorful. The recipe is a one-pan meal that can be served with rice.

Ingredients

 

US Customary - Metric

• 3 lbs whole chicken
• 4 medium white potatoes
• 1 large zucchini
• 6 medium tomatoes
• 2 medium onions
• 8 garlic cloves
• ½ cup water or chicken broth
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Make Egyptian Magic Red Sauce

•  In a food processor, blend the onions and garlic.
• In a blender, blend the tomatoes. Strain the tomato juice.
• Use a stovetop pot that has a cover and can go in the oven (like a LeCreuset Dutch Oven). In this pot on medium-high heat, add olive oil. Fry the onions and garlic for about 5 minutes. 
• Add the strained tomato juice. Cook on the stovetop for about 5 minutes covered.

Prepare the Vegetables and Chicken

• Peel and slice the potatoes. Slice the zucchini. 
• Spatchcock (butterfly) the chicken. Using kitchen shears, cut on either side of the backbone of the chicken. Flip the chicken over and press down on the breast.

Assemble the One Pan Chicken Pot

• Heat the oven to 350 ℉ (175 ℃).
• Add the sliced potatoes and zucchini to the Egyptian magic red sauce on medium heat. Add half a cup of water or broth. Coat the tomato sauce on the sliced vegetables.
• Add the spatchcocked chicken on top of the vegetables. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
• Cover the one-pan chicken pot and put it in the oven for 1 hour. (see note 1)
• Uncover the pan and cook at 400 ℉ (200 ℃) for 10 minutes.

Notes

1. If you have a larger chicken, increase the oven cook time for an added 10 minutes for every extra 1 lb (or 0.5 kg). So if your chicken is 3 lbs (1.5 kg), the oven cook time will be 1 hour and 10 minutes at 350 ℉ (175 ℃).

Nutrition

Serving: 1 dish | Calories: 616 kcal | Carbohydrates: 46 g | Protein: 37 g | Fat: 32 g | Saturated Fat: 8 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15 g | Trans Fat: 0.2 g | Cholesterol: 122 mg | Sodium: 141 mg | Potassium: 1694 mg | Fiber: 8 g | Sugar: 10 g | Vitamin A: 1869 IU | Vitamin C: 76 mg | Calcium: 88 mg | Iron: 4 mg