Skip to main content

Five-Spice Spatchcocked Grilled Chicken

5.0

(2)

A whole grilled chicken cut into parts and topped with a scallionchile relish on a platter.
Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Aneta Florczyk

For grilling the whole bird, we stand by the tried-and-true methods of spatchcocking the chicken and giving it a dry rub. The spatchcock does a few things: It flattens the bird so the breasts and legs cook evenly and cuts down on cooking time. And unlike a wet brine, a dry rub—this one’s got five-spice, MSG, and light brown sugar—gets into every nook and cranny of the whole bird without making a big mess. (You can skip the MSG if you prefer, but it will add just the right amount of umami backbone to the rub, so we recommend it.) —Jessie YuChen

What you’ll need

Read More
An easy technique that results in juicy, tender roast chicken. Cooking two chickens at once is the secret to easy meals throughout the week.
Bone-in, skin-on chicken legs glossed in a sticky honey mustard glaze strike the perfect balance of tangy, sweet, and delightfully savory.
Savory cashew chicken meets tender asparagus in this lightning-fast dinner.
Lacking an actual tandoor, the air fryer might be the best way to make chicken tikka. Juicy, charred, and well-spiced, it’s your new weeknight MVP.
This speedy dinner features a verdant take on chili crisp, with scallions, jalapeños, and roasted peanuts for crunch.
Cilantro and a handful of basic spices brings vibrant green color and rich flavor to broiled chicken thighs. Served with rice or naan, this is a weeknight win.
A homemade black bean sauce is better than anything you can find in the grocery store. Plus, the 15-minute dinner you can make with it.
Chicken thighs cooked inside parchment packets alongside onions and oranges makes for a flavorful dinner that’s almost entirely hands off.