This keto grilled spatchcocked chicken recipe features the most delicious rosemary lemon chicken marinade! With this flattened chicken trick, you can grill a whole chicken in less than 45 minutes!

cooked spatchcocked chicken with a rosemary lemon marinade on a cutting board with grilled lemons and fresh rosemary this recipe

What Makes This Recipe Great

The weather is warming up, Memorial Day is almost here, and I don’t know about you, but bbq season is about to commence and I am SO excited! I will be making this rosemary lemon grilled spatchcocked chicken all summer long!

This flattened chicken recipe features the most delicious rosemary lemon chicken marinade, I just can’t get enough! Simply smother the chicken in lemon zest, rosemary, and garlic olive oil rub. The whole bird is ready in less than 45 minutes. Summer grilling is my favorite!

Watch The Recipe Video

Note: You can also watch this recipe video on YouTube.

Ingredient Notes

ingredients to make flattened chicken with lemon chicken marinade

Chicken: I love using Cooks Venture chicken since all of their chicken is pasture-raised and the highest quality you can buy.

Herbs: I love using rosemary, but you could use thyme if that’s what you have. Fresh is always best, but you can use dried also. You’ll need about 1.5 tablespoons of dried rosemary (or thyme).

Rosemary Lemon Chicken Marinade

The very *best* part of this recipe is the grilled lemons. You simply cut the lemons in half and grill them during the last few minutes of cooking the chicken. The heat cooks out all the sourness of the lemon and reduces the juices and pulp inside. When you squeeze out the lemons, the pulp gets all thick and wonderful, almost like a paste.

This lemon chicken marinade is the go-to marinade that I make constantly because I always have these items on hand. It’s so simple with minimal ingredients and packs in tons of flavor.

Recipe Step by Step

step by step photos for how to make this flattened chicken recipe
  1. Make the marinade in a large bowl by combining the avocado oil, lemon zest, rosemary, garlic, kosher salt, and black pepper. Stir this rosemary lemon chicken marinade with a fork to combine.
  2. Spatchcock the chicken by placing the whole chicken breast side down on your cutting board. Using kitchen shears, cut along either side of the spine to remove the spine from the chicken. Flip the chicken over so it is now breast side up, place your palm on the breast bone in the center, then use medium pressure to push down on the breast until you hear a crack and are able to get the chicken flattened.
  3. Marinate the chicken by placing the flattened chicken in the large bowl with the rosemary lemon chicken marinade. Use your hands to rub it all over the chicken on both sides. You can grill right away, or allow the chicken to marinate for up to 3 days covered in the refrigerator.
  4. Heat your grill over medium heat (I heat my Traeger Grill at 400ºF). Clean and oil the grill grates.
  5. Grill the chicken and lemons on your grill once your grill is fully heated. Grill the chicken breast side up, and the lemons cut side down. Cook until the chicken skin is crispy and the chicken has an internal temperature of 165ºF. On my Traeger Grill, it takes about 45-55 minutes. No need to flip the chicken, but you can flip it halfway through cooking if you prefer.
  6. Carve and serve the grilled spatchcocked chicken along with the grilled lemons. Squeeze out the grilled lemons on top of the chicken.
a hand squeezing a grilled lemon on top of sliced flattened chicken on a white plate next to a pile of roasted broccoli

Expert Tips

Oven Roasted: You can make this in the oven by placing the marinated flattened chicken and the cut lemons on a rimmed baking sheet and roasting at 425ºF for 40-50 minutes until the skin is crispy and the chicken has an internal temperature of 165ºF.

Spatchcocking: Spatchcocking is really simple, but if it intimidates you, you can ask your butcher to do this for you. I love spatchcocking a chicken for a few reasons:

  • it grills faster since it’s flattened chicken.
  • it’s more flavorful since you’re able to easily season and marinate all sides of the flattened chicken.
  • it’s so much easier to carve after.

Chicken Spine: Freeze the chicken spine and add it to your next batch of bone broth.

FAQs

How do I store leftovers?

The leftover flattened chicken will keep in an airtight container refrigerated for at least 5 days, or frozen for at least 6 months.

How do I carve a chicken?

If you’ve never carved a chicken before, I have this How To Carve A Chicken post.

Is this recipe keto-friendly?

Yes! This flattened chicken is just 1 net carb per serving!

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a whole chicken on a wooden cutting board

Rosemary Lemon Grilled Spatchcocked Chicken

Servings: 4 people
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 45 mins
Total Time: 55 mins
This keto grilled spatchcocked chicken recipe features the most delicious rosemary lemon chicken marinade! With this flattened chicken trick, you can grill a whole chicken in less than 45 minutes!
4.85 from 13 ratings
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Ingredients 
 

  • 1 whole chicken (around 3 pounds)
  • 1/4 cup avocado oil
  • 3 lemons, zested, then sliced in half
  • 3 sprigs of rosemary, chopped
  • 2 cloves of garlic, grated or finely chopped
  • 3 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons black pepper

Equipment

Instructions 

  • Make the marinade in a large bowl by combining the avocado oil, lemon zest, rosemary, garlic, kosher salt and black pepper. Stir this rosemary lemon chicken marinade with a fork to combine.
  • Spatchcock the chicken by placing the whole chicken breast side down on your cutting board. Using kitchen shears, cut along either side of the spine to remove the spine from the chicken. Flip the chicken over so it is now breast side up, place your palm on the breast bone in the center, then use medium pressure to push down on the breast until you hear a crack and are able to get the chicken flattened.
  • Marinate the chicken by placing the flattened chicken in the large bowl with the marinade. Use your hands to rub it all over the chicken on both sides. You can grill right away, or allow the chicken to marinate for up to 3 days covered in the refrigerator.
  • Heat your grill over medium heat (I heat my Traeger Grill at 400ºF). Clean and oil the grill grates.
  • Grill the chicken and lemons on your grill once your grill is fully heated. Grill the chicken breast side up, and the lemons cut side down. Cook until the chicken skin is crispy and the chicken has an internal temperature of 165ºF. On my Traeger Grill it takes about 45-55 minutes. No need to flip the chicken, but you can flip it half way through cooking if you prefer.
  • Rest the chicken on your cutting board for 10 minutes.
  • Carve and serve the chicken along with the grilled lemons. Squeeze out the grilled lemons on top of the chicken. The lemon pulp gets thick and concentrated as it is grilled and loses a lot of its sourness. It's very delicious!
  • Leftover grilled spatchcocked chicken will keep in an airtight container refrigerated for at least 5 days, or frozen for at least 6 months.
  • See the Recipe Notes below for more tips, FAQ's and ingredient substitutions.

Notes

Oven Roasted: You can make this flattened chicken in the oven by placing the marinated chicken and the cut lemons on a rimmed baking sheet and roasting at 425ºF for 40-50 minutes until the skin is crispy and the chicken has an internal temperature of 165ºF.
Spatchcocking: Spatchcocking is really simple, but if it intimidates you, you can ask your butcher to do this for you.
Carving: If you’ve never carved a chicken before, I have this How To Carve A Chicken post.
Chicken Spine: Pro tip – freeze the chicken spine and add it to your next batch of bone broth.
Herbs: I love using rosemary, but you could use thyme if that’s what you have. Fresh is always best, but you can use dried also. You’ll need about 1.5 tablespoons of dried rosemary (or thyme).
Chicken: I love using Cooks Venture chicken since all of their chicken is pasture raised and the highest quality you can buy.
Cuisine: American
Course: Main Course
Author: Natalie
Calories: 480, Total Carbs: 2.2g, Protein: 52.8g, Fat: 28.1g, Fiber: 0.9g, Net Carbs: 1g
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