recipes

Spatchcocked Campfire Chicken with Lemon-Garlic Herb

There’s something about cooking a whole chicken over an open fire that just hits different. You’re out there with the smoke in your clothes, the crackle of the coals, and the kind of hunger that only comes after a day outside. You spatchcock the bird so it lays flat over the grate, season it with nothing but salt, and let the fire do its thing.

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  • 1 whole chicken (3 to 3.5 lbs), spatchcocked
  • 1½ tsp kosher salt

For the lemon-garlic herb baste

  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme, rosemary, an oregano (or 1 tsp dried)
  • 1 tsp mustard
  • Salt to taste
Servings 4
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45-55 minutes
Total Time About 1 hour 10 minutes
  1. Build a wood fire and let it burn down until you’ve got a solid bed of glowing coals. Push the coals to one side of your fire pit or ring to create a hot zone and a cooler zone. Set a grate over top, about 6–8 inches above the coals.
  2. To spatchcock a chicken, start by placing it breast-side down on a cutting board so the backbone is facing up. Take a pair of kitchen shears or a sharp knife and cut along one side of the spine, from tail to neck, then do the same on the other side to remove it completely. Once the backbone’s out, flip the chicken over so the breast side is facing up again. Press down hard in the center of the breast until you hear a crack — that’s the breastbone breaking so the bird lays flat. That’s it. You can trim off the wingtips or any extra fat if you want, but it’s ready to go on the grill as is. Dont forget to season with some salt!
  3. Pat the chicken dry and season both sides with salt. Lay it skin-side up over the cooler side of the grate. Once it’s on the grate, if you’ve got a large metal bowl or a deep pan, you can place it upside-down over the chicken while it cooks on the cooler side of the fire. It acts like a lid, trapping some heat and helping the chicken cook through more evenly before you move it over the direct heat to crisp up the skin.
  4. Flip it every 10 minutes, alternating between skin-side up and down, keeping it mostly over indirect heat so it cooks evenly without burning. Let it go for about 35–40 minutes.
  5. While that’s happening, mix the olive oil,mustard lemon juice, zest, garlic, salt and herbs together in a bowl or camp mug. Let it sit so the flavours can meld.
  6. When the chicken is nearly done, move it over the hotter coals, skin-side down, and start brushing it with the lemon-herb oil. Let it sizzle, crisp, and char in all the right spots. Flip it once or twice and keep brushing, just for the last 10–15 minutes.
  7. Pull the chicken off the fire once it hits 160°F (74°C) in the thickest part of the thigh. Let it rest for 10 minutes, then carve and serve. Spoon over any remaining baste if you’ve got some left.

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