Spatchcocked Lemon-Garlic Grilled Chicken with Charred Gremolata and Crispy Grill-Potatoes

How to Make Spatchcocked Lemon-Garlic Grilled Chicken with Charred Gremolata and Crispy Grill-Potatoes

1. 1

   Step 1: Spatchcock & season; parboil potatoes

   Spatchcock the chicken by placing breast-side down and using kitchen shears to cut out the backbone; press the breastbone to flatten. In a bowl, mix 1/4 cup olive oil, minced garlic, smoked paprika, 2 tsp kosher salt and 1 tsp black pepper; rub thoroughly under the skin and over the skin. Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a simmer and parboil the baby potatoes 8–10 minutes until just tender; drain and toss with a tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Let the chicken sit at room temperature 20 minutes while you preheat the grill (this brief rest also helps the potatoes cool for grilling).

   For this step

   • 1 wholeWhole chicken (spatchcocked), 3–4 lb
   • 1/4 cupOlive oil
   • 2 tspKosher salt
   • 1 tspFreshly ground black pepper
   • 1 tbspSmoked paprika
   • 6 clovesGarlic cloves, minced
   • 1 1/2 lbBaby potatoes (halved if large)
   
2. 2

   Step 2: Set up two-zone grill and preheat

   Clean and oil the grates. Create a two-zone fire: one side of the grill hot for direct searing (high heat, about 450–500°F/230–260°C) and the other side cooler for indirect cooking (medium, roughly 350°F/175°C). Allow the grill 10–15 minutes to reach steady temperatures.
3. 3

   Step 3: Sear chicken, then move to indirect heat

   Place the chicken skin-side down over direct high heat and sear 6–8 minutes until deeply browned and crisp, rotating once for even char. Flip and sear the other side 4–6 minutes, then transfer the bird to the indirect side, breast-side up. Insert a probe thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh (not touching bone). Close the lid and cook over indirect heat until the thigh reaches 165–170°F (74–77°C), about 25–35 minutes depending on size. While the chicken cooks, arrange potatoes in a single layer in a heavy cast-iron pan or on a foil-lined sheet on the indirect side to warm through and pick up smoke.
   
4. 4

   Step 4: Char lemons

   When the chicken has about 10 minutes left, place lemon halves cut-side down directly over the hot side of the grill. Char 2–4 minutes until deeply blackened on the cut surface, rotating as needed to avoid burning to ash. Remove and set aside to cool slightly for the gremolata.

   For this step

   • 3 wholeLemons (for charring + finishing), halved
   
5. 5

   Step 5: Make charred lemon-garlic gremolata

   Finely mince the charred lemon flesh (and a little zest from the remaining lemon if desired). In a small bowl combine the minced charred lemon, the remaining raw or grilled garlic (use a bit of the garlic reserved if you like stronger raw garlic), chopped parsley, a drizzle (about 1–2 tbsp) of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Taste and adjust with more lemon juice or olive oil — the gremolata should be bright and slightly smoky.

   For this step

   • 1/2 cupFresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
   
6. 6

   Step 6: Finish potatoes, rest and carve

   In the final 5–10 minutes, move potatoes over direct heat (or increase heat under your pan) to crisp them, tossing occasionally until golden. When the chicken hits 165–170°F in the thigh, remove it to a cutting board and tent loosely with foil; rest 10–15 minutes to let juices redistribute. Carve the chicken, spoon the charred lemon-garlic gremolata over the pieces, and serve with the crispy grill-potatoes. Tip: sear first, then cook indirect to get char and juicy meat; use a thermometer and short rest to avoid drying out.
   

1. Spatchcock the chicken by placing breast-side down and using kitchen shears to cut out the backbone; press the breastbone to flatten. In a bowl, mix 1/4 cup olive oil, minced garlic, smoked paprika, 2 tsp kosher salt and 1 tsp black pepper; rub thoroughly under the skin and over the skin. Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a simmer and parboil the baby potatoes 8–10 minutes until just tender; drain and toss with a tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Let the chicken sit at room temperature 20 minutes while you preheat the grill (this brief rest also helps the potatoes cool for grilling).
2. Clean and oil the grates. Create a two-zone fire: one side of the grill hot for direct searing (high heat, about 450–500°F/230–260°C) and the other side cooler for indirect cooking (medium, roughly 350°F/175°C). Allow the grill 10–15 minutes to reach steady temperatures.
3. Place the chicken skin-side down over direct high heat and sear 6–8 minutes until deeply browned and crisp, rotating once for even char. Flip and sear the other side 4–6 minutes, then transfer the bird to the indirect side, breast-side up. Insert a probe thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh (not touching bone). Close the lid and cook over indirect heat until the thigh reaches 165–170°F (74–77°C), about 25–35 minutes depending on size. While the chicken cooks, arrange potatoes in a single layer in a heavy cast-iron pan or on a foil-lined sheet on the indirect side to warm through and pick up smoke.
4. When the chicken has about 10 minutes left, place lemon halves cut-side down directly over the hot side of the grill. Char 2–4 minutes until deeply blackened on the cut surface, rotating as needed to avoid burning to ash. Remove and set aside to cool slightly for the gremolata.
5. Finely mince the charred lemon flesh (and a little zest from the remaining lemon if desired). In a small bowl combine the minced charred lemon, the remaining raw or grilled garlic (use a bit of the garlic reserved if you like stronger raw garlic), chopped parsley, a drizzle (about 1–2 tbsp) of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Taste and adjust with more lemon juice or olive oil — the gremolata should be bright and slightly smoky.
6. In the final 5–10 minutes, move potatoes over direct heat (or increase heat under your pan) to crisp them, tossing occasionally until golden. When the chicken hits 165–170°F in the thigh, remove it to a cutting board and tent loosely with foil; rest 10–15 minutes to let juices redistribute. Carve the chicken, spoon the charred lemon-garlic gremolata over the pieces, and serve with the crispy grill-potatoes. Tip: sear first, then cook indirect to get char and juicy meat; use a thermometer and short rest to avoid drying out.