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How to Butterfly a Chicken

Your guide to getting your bird to sit right

Butterflying or spatchcocking your chicken will help it smoke more evenly. It will also give you the maximum surface area, so you can cram in the flavour.

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  • 1. Pat chicken dry with a paper towel.

    1. Pat chicken dry with a paper towel.

  • 2. Slice down either side of backbone.

    2. Slice down either side of backbone.

  • 3. Cut off the backbone.

    3. Cut off the backbone.

  • 5. Cut through breast bone.

    5. Cut through breast bone.

  • 6. Flip over chicken and flatten out as much as possible.

    6. Flip over chicken and flatten out as much as possible.

  1. Pat your chicken dry with paper towels (the skin is crispier if it’s dry).

  2. Flip the chicken over so that the spine is facing up. Run a sharp knife along each side of the backbone (or cut with a kitchen knife).

  3. Make sure all the spine is separated from the chicken.

  4. Cut off the spine section.

  5. Open up the cavity. Cut through the breast bone at the top.

  6. Flip the chicken over and flatten out as much as possible using the heal of your hand.

  7. Now your chicken is ready. Check out our recipe for Lemon & Herb Butterflied Chicken.

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