If you want perfectly juicy BBQ chicken with crisp skin and bold smoky flavor, spatchcocking is the method you need. By flattening the bird, we eliminate hot spots and uneven cooking — allowing both the white and dark meat to finish beautifully at the same time. This BBQ spatchcock chicken gets coated in a simple dry rub with brown sugar, chili powder, and coriander, locking in flavor before being gently cooked over indirect heat. Once nearly done, it’s glazed with your favorite barbecue sauce and finished directly over the flame for beautiful grill marks and that sticky, caramelized finish.
Look just how juicy this is!
This method works on gas or charcoal grills and produces consistent, reliable results — no more dry breast meat or undercooked thighs. Serve it up with classic summer sides like grilled corn, potato salad, or coleslaw.
BBQ Spatchcock Chicken
Ingredients
1 whole chicken (about 3.5–4 lbs)
1 tbsp kosher salt
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground coriander
1 cup prepared barbecue sauce (your favorite kind)
Directions
- Prep the Chicken
Spatchcock the chicken: This means removing the backbone so it lays flat on the grill for even cooking.
Flip the chicken breast-side down.
Use sharp kitchen shears to cut along both sides of the backbone; remove it.
Flip the chicken over and press down firmly on the breastbone until it flattens.
Dry the chicken well with paper towels. Moisture = steam, and steam = soggy skin.
Mix the rub: Combine salt, pepper, paprika, chili powder, and coriander in a small bowl.
Rub it all over the chicken—get into every crease and crevice, front and back. - Grill Setup
Preheat one side of a well-oiled grill to high heat. Leave the other side off—this creates a hot side and a cool side.
Place the chicken skin-side up on the cool side of the grill (indirect heat). - Cook in Stages
Cook for 45–60 minutes on the cool side, lid closed, until the skin is dry and starting to crisp.
When the chicken is nearly done but not fully cooked through, brush the top with BBQ sauce.
Flip skin-side down onto the hot side, reduce heat to medium, and grill 2–3 minutes just until grill marks appear—don’t let it burn.
Brush the back of the chicken with sauce, flip again, and grill the back for 2 minutes to get some smoky flavor and marks.
Return to the cool side, turn the hot side back up to high, and brush remaining sauce all over.
Cook until internal temps are 165°F in the breast and 175–185°F in the thigh, and juices run clear. - Rest & Serve
Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before carving. Serve whole or in pieces, and enjoy with grilled corn, coleslaw, or a chilled beer.
Notes
- There’s something deeply satisfying about a whole grilled chicken that’s smoky, saucy, and just slightly charred in all the right places. This method uses a simple dry rub and a strategic two-zone grill setup to deliver crispy skin, juicy meat, and bold BBQ flavor—without burning or drying anything out.
