The Best Spatchcocked Chicken Marinade

Cooking with beer adds terrific flavor to any meal, and it makes this the best spatchcocked chicken marinade, whether roasted or grilled.

Why you have to try this recipe

I admit that I am not a beer drinker, nor a big wine drinker. My hubby is both. But, I love to cook with both. The alcohol is burned off in the cooking process and you are left with a dish that is very flavorful and safe for the kids to eat!

Now I may not like drinking beer but I do love cooking with it! I love cooking with beer because of the unique flavor it brings to my meal. And this black ale really was a wonderful flavor enhancer for my chicken.

The Black Ale Marinated Spatchcocked Chicken was amazing. There was no overt beer after taste, but it was super juicy and delicious. And my kitchen had this amazing sweet aroma while the chicken quietly roasted in the oven. Super Easy. Super Delicious.

And the color… wowza!

Ingredients you need

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• Whole roasting chicken: This marinade works with any cuts of chicken, boneless or bone-in. The recipe below includes cooking instruction for a whole fryer chicken.
• Onion: I used a regular brown onion, but you can use any variety you have on hand.
• Garlic: Fresh garlic has the best flavor, but you can use garlic powder instead.
• Coarse ground mustard: You can also use dijon mustard.
• Extra virgin olive oil: Olive oil adds flavor and moisture to the marinade. Cutting it out to “save on calories” is not recommended. You are not consuming the marinade, so please don’t reduce or eliminate it.
• Beer: I used a New Belgium Brewing Company’s 1554 Black Ale, but you can use any variety of black beer or regular beer.
• Seasonings: Paprika, salt and black pepper.

Tools to Use

• Chef’s Knife
• Cutting board
• Mixing bowls

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Step-by-step directions

1. Place the chicken, breast side down, on a cutting board. Using poultry shears or a large, sharp knife, cut along each side of the backbone. Pull the chicken open slightly to cut the backbone out completely. Reserve for stock or discard. Turn the chicken breast side up and open it as flat as possible. Press down firmly to break the breastbone and flatten the bird.

2. In a large container that can hold the butterflied chicken whisk together onion, garlic cloves, mustard, olive oil, black ale, paprika, salt and pepper. Place butterflied chicken in to the marinade and coat both sides.

3. Cover and refrigerate 5-6 hours, flipping chicken over to marinate evenly. Remove chicken from the refrigerator 30 minutes prior to roasting.

4. Roast at 425ºF for 45 minutes, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh away from the bone registers 170º-175ºF. If chicken starts to burn, loosely cover with a sheet of aluminum foil.

Recipe tips and FAQs

You can either roast this butterflied chicken in the oven or grill it outdoors. Either way, this marinade is the BOMB and really delicious!

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Yield: 4-6 servings

The Best Spatchcocked Chicken Marinade

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Cooking with beer adds terrific flavor to any meal, and it makes this the best spatchcocked chicken marinade, whether roasted or grilled.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Additional Time 6 hours 40 minutes

Total Time 7 hours 35 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 large whole roasting chicken, approx. 5lbs
• 1 large onion, diced
• 6 garlic cloves, crushed
• ⅓ cup coarse ground mustard
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3 cup dark or black ale
• 1 TBS paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper, ground

Instructions

1. Remove giblet and neck from the chicken cavity, reserve for another use or discard.
2. Place the chicken, breast side down, on a cutting board.
3. Using poultry shears or a large, sharp knife, cut along each side of the backbone. Pull the chicken open slightly to cut the backbone out completely. Reserve for stock or discard.
4. Turn the chicken breast side up and open it as flat as possible.
5. Press down firmly to break the breastbone and flatten the bird.
6. Rinse the chicken and pat it dry with paper towels.
7. In a large container that can hold the butterflied chicken whisk together onion, garlic cloves, mustard, olive oil, black ale, paprika, salt and pepper.
8. Place butterflied chicken in to the marinade and coat both sides.
9. Cover and refrigerate 5-6 hours, flipping chicken over to marinate evenly.
   Remove chicken from the refrigerator 30 minutes prior to roasting.
10. Preheat oven to 425ºF and place chicken in a large cast-iron skillet, breast side up.
11. Roast chicken for 45 minutes, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh away from the bone registers 170º-175ºF.
    If chicken starts to burn, loosely cover with a sheet of aluminum foil.
12. Remove from oven and let chicken sit for 5-7 minutes, then serve.
    

Notes

Cooking Tips: Also great on the grill! Grill the chicken bone side down over medium-high direct heat in a covered grill for ten minutes. Flip the chicken over and grill the chicken over direct heat for an additional ten minutes Be careful so that it doesn't burn. Reduce heat slightly, if necesary. With a meat thermometer, check the temperature of the breast. If it hasn't reached 165ºF, move the chicken to grill over indirect heat, skin side up, until it's done. Remove the chicken and let it rest, covered loosely with foil, for ten minutes prior to serving.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 1079Total Fat: 63gSaturated Fat: 16gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 41gCholesterol: 333mgSodium: 705mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 106g

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