Gold BBQ Sauced Spatchcock Chicken
Gold BBQ Sauced Spatchcock Chicken.
Most people have never spatchcocked a chicken. That’s the only reason it sounds hard.
Spatchcocking is the single best time-saver in our grilling recipes toolbox.
Remove the backbone. Press the bird flat. That’s it. What you get is a whole chicken that cooks evenly across the grill, skin that crisps instead of steaming, thighs and breast that hit temperature at the same time, and about 30 minutes shaved off the cook compared to a traditional roast.
Here’s how this one goes: Season the bird generously with Kinder’s The Blend on both sides and under the skin. Sear it skin-side down over direct heat, moving it frequently so the skin browns without burning. Flip it, hit the other side, then slide it over to indirect heat for 25–30 minutes. In the final five minutes, brush on Kinder’s Gold BBQ Sauce and let it caramelize into a sticky, lacquered glaze. Pull it at 165°F internal. Rest it a full 15–20 minutes before you slice anything.
The Gold BBQ Sauce is the move here. Tangy, slightly sweet, mustard-forward, and on a hot grill over caramelized chicken skin, it sets up into something you want on every bite. Not a backup sauce. The point of the whole thing.
This serves 4 and takes about 80 minutes start to finish, 30 minutes of prep, 50 minutes on the grill. The technique isn’t precious. It works on a Tuesday as well as it does at a full backyard cookout.
Keep the chicken moving during the direct-heat sear so the skin colors evenly without burning. Don’t baste early, the sugars in the sauce burn fast. Baste in the last five to seven minutes only. And the rest is non-negotiable: 15–20 minutes after it comes off the grill. A whole bird holds a lot of heat and needs time to redistribute before you cut in.
The backbone comes out faster than you think. Two cuts with kitchen shears, close to the bone. Save it for stock.
Flat on the grill, golden on top, Gold BBQ caramelized all over.
Flavor First.
Gold BBQ Sauced Spatchcock Chicken
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Set up the grill: Fire up the grill with both direct and indirect heating zones.
- Spatchcock the chicken: Flip the whole chicken breast-side down with the legs pointing toward you. Using kitchen shears, cut along one side of the backbone from tail to neck. Repeat on the other side to remove the backbone entirely. Open the chicken up, exposing the inside. With a sharp paring knife, make a small incision on the backside of the breastplate (sternum). This allows the chicken to lay completely flat when flipped breast-side up.
- Season: Season the entire chicken generously with Kinder’s The Blend Seasoning on both sides — top, bottom, and under the skin where you can.
- Sear over direct heat: Place chicken skin-side down on the direct heat zone. Cook 5–7 minutes, moving frequently for even browning. Flip and cook the other side over direct heat for an additional 5–7 minutes, moving frequently.
- Indirect cook: Move the chicken to the indirect heat zone, skin-side up. Close the grill lid and cook for 25–30 minutes, or until the thickest part of the thigh reads 160°F.
- Baste: Brush the chicken with Kinder’s Gold BBQ Sauce. Close the grill and cook for an additional 5–7 minutes until the sauce caramelizes and the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Rest: Remove from grill and let rest 15–20 minutes before cutting. This is crucial — a whole chicken needs a full rest to redistribute juices before slicing.
- Serve: Slice and serve with your favorite sides.
Nutrition
Notes
- Let the shears do the work — Cut firmly and close to the bone. Once the backbone is out, the bird presses flat naturally. Save the backbone for chicken stock.
- Keep it moving on direct heat — Frequent movement over the direct zone = even golden color all over. Leave it in one spot and you get patches of burned skin next to undercooked.
- Use a thermometer, not the clock — A spatchcocked chicken can look done before it is. Check the thickest part of the thigh, not touching bone. Pull at 165°F internal and let carry-over finish the job during the rest.
- Baste at the end only — The sugars in Kinder’s Gold BBQ Sauce burn over direct heat. Brush it on in the last 5–7 minutes to get a sticky, caramelized glaze without char.
- Rest the full 15–20 minutes — Cut early and the juices run onto the cutting board instead of staying in the meat. This is where most of the difference between a dry bird and a juicy one happens.
- Grilled corn, coleslaw, and baked beans — that’s the classic backyard BBQ plate and this chicken earns all of it. For something different, roasted sweet potatoes and a simple arugula salad with lemon vinaigrette let the Gold BBQ flavor stay front and center without competing.
- Cold leftovers slice clean. Put them in a sandwich with more Kinder’s Gold BBQ Sauce and pickles. That’s not a consolation move — that’s a reason to cook extra.
- Refrigerate leftover chicken in an airtight container for up to 3 days. To reheat, wrap loosely in foil and heat in a 350°F oven for 15–20 minutes until warmed through. Skip the microwave for large pieces — it pulls moisture out fast.
- Cold leftover chicken is genuinely useful: slice it for sandwiches, shred it into tacos, or layer it over a grain bowl. The Gold BBQ glaze holds up even cold.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Do I need special equipment to spatchcock a chicken?
A: Just a sturdy pair of kitchen shears and a sharp knife. The shears cut through the backbone; the knife scores the breastplate so the bird lays flat. No specialty tools required.
Can I make this in the oven instead of on a grill?
A: Yes. Roast the spatchcocked, seasoned chicken on a wire rack over a baking sheet at 425°F for 40–45 minutes until the thigh reads 160°F. Brush with Kinder’s Gold BBQ Sauce and broil 3–5 minutes to caramelize the glaze.
What’s the difference between spatchcock and butterflied chicken?
A: Same technique, different name. Both mean removing the backbone and pressing the bird flat. It shortens cook time significantly and ensures the breast and thigh hit temperature together.
What internal temperature should I pull spatchcock chicken off the grill?
A: Pull when the thickest part of the thigh reads 165°F, thermometer away from the bone, which runs hot. If you pull at 160°F, carry-over heat during the rest will finish it.
How long does it take to spatchcock a chicken?
A: About 5 minutes once you’ve done it once, two cuts with kitchen shears along each side of the backbone, then a small score on the breastplate. The first time takes closer to 10 minutes. It gets faster every time.
More like this: BBQ Chicken Recipes · Chicken Recipes · Summer Grilling Recipes · Kinder’s Recipes
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