Description
Greek Grilled Spatchcock Chicken is a juicy and flavorful Mediterranean-style chicken marinated in olive oil, lemon, garlic, and oregano, grilled to perfection for a crispy, golden finish.
Ingredients
1 whole chicken (about 3–4 lb), spatchcocked
½ cup olive oil
Juice of 2 lemons
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp dried oregano
1 tsp paprika (sweet or smoked)
Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Spatchcock the chicken by cutting out the backbone with kitchen shears, then press down firmly to flatten the chicken.
- Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, oregano, paprika, salt, and pepper to create the marinade.
- Marinate the chicken in the dish or a bag for at least 1 hour, or up to 24 hours for maximum flavor.
- Heat the grill to medium-high, setting up a two-zone cooking area with one hot side and one cooler side.
- Grill the chicken skin-side down over direct heat for about 10 minutes, until the skin is golden and crispy.
- Move the chicken to the cooler zone, cover, and cook for an additional 25–35 minutes, or until a thermometer reads 165 °F in the thickest thigh.
- Rest the chicken for 10 minutes before slicing to seal in the juices.
Notes
- For a smoky flavor, use smoked paprika or add a smoker tray if cooking in the oven.
- Fresh herbs like basil, mint, or thyme can be swapped for dried oregano.
- For an alternative cooking method, bake the chicken at 425 °F for 45–55 minutes until crispy and cooked through.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes (plus 1-hour marination)
- Cook Time: 35–45 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Grilled or Baked
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of chicken
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 450mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 5g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 105mg
