This spatchcocked & whole roasted orange maple chicken is a real showstopper. Juicy & tender chicken seasoned with herbs, fresh orange zest and robust dark maple syrup complete with an irresistible sticky orange maple glaze!

spooning orange maple glaze over spatchcocked and whole roasted orange maple chicken

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Spatchcocking (don’t let the fancy term intimidate you) makes this roast chicken one of my go-to easy dinner recipes with leftovers so you don’t have to figure out what’s for dinner the next day! This orange maple chicken is is perfect for any occasion or time of year from weeknight dinners to holiday family gatherings and pairs amazingly with almost any side – like rice & peas or mac & cheese. You can even go simple & carb free with just green beans.

key ingredients

Whole chicken. A “roaster” is ideal for roast chicken recipes like this one. Its an older chicken compared to young chickens used for frying. The skin has a thicker layer of fat which helps to insulate the meat and prevents it from drying out during roasting.
Navel orange. A juicy and aromatic orange with the perfect balance of sweet and tart for this savory recipe. Both the zest and juice are used. If using bottled orange juice you can swap in orange peel for the zest!
Maple syrup. Dark or very dark works best for this recipe
Butter. Adds a rich flavor and helps to keep the chicken moist during prolonged cooking like roasting. Feel free to swap with olive oil or your favorite oil.
Herbs & seasonings. Garlic, rosemary, ginger, paprika, salt & pepper

ingredients for a spatchcocked and whole roasted orange maple chicken - dark maple syrup, vegetable stock, butter, whole orange (juice & zest), rosemary, garlic, paprika, ginger, salt & black pepper

spatchcocked and whole roasted orange maple chicken on a rack in a roasting pan

tips for the best whole-roasted orange maple chicken

Opt for unsalted butter instead of salted and be mindful of using more salt that this recipe calls for. You’ll be able to control the salt level in your chicken. In addition, salt follows water so this could cause your pan drippings to be too salty affecting the taste of the glaze/ orange sauce at the end.

Use a meat thermometer. It takes the guess work out of figuring out if the chicken is cooked all the way through or not! The USDA dictates that poultry is safe to consume once it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Place the probe in the thickest part of the thigh and not the thickest part of the breast. The thighs take a longer time to cook so if you place your probe in the breast you run the risk of the thighs not being cooked all the way through yet.
I prefer using a meat thermometer over an instant-read thermometer since you only have to poke the chicken once vs repeatedly with an instant read which causes juices from the chicken to leak out causing the chicken to be dry. I use this one but if you’re looking to splurge there are also completely wireless options available.

How else can I know if my chicken is cooked through? As mentioned above, a meat thermometer is a foolproof way of determining if meat is cooked thoroughly however if you’re not in the market for a meat thermometer there are some visual cues to look out for.
First, use the thickest part of the thigh to check for doneness as this part of the chicken takes the longest to cook. The meat should be completely white with no pink! Theres no such thing as rare poultry! Additionally juices should run clear with no opacity.

Marinate chicken before roasting. The seasonings and enzymes from the orange help to tenderize meat in addition to developing deeper flavor that permeates throughout the meat and not just on the surface.

Allow chicken to rest before cutting or removing the meat thermometer. When meat has just been cooked the muscle fibers are contracted – causing them to push out moisture. Allowing the chicken to rest before cutting allows the muscle fibers to relax again and reabsorb that moisture that would otherwise immediately leak out.

Use kitchen shears to break down the chicken after roasting. Kitchen shears give more control over cuts than a knife and are more beginner friendly for folks that don’t butcher a whole chicken very often! It also easier to apply enough pressure to safely cut through the bone to separate the breasts.

sliced breast of a spatchcocked and whole roasted orange maple chicken

what type of maple syrup should I use for cooking?

For true maple flavor we use real maple syrup for this recipe but what is real maple syrup? Its syrup made directly from the sap of maple trees. A true maple syrup will be labeled appropriately with it’s class which falls under 1 of 4 options:

Golden maple syrup has a delicate taste with subtle maple flavor and is typically made at the beginning of the maple season.
Amber maple syrup has a well-defined maple flavor and is made about mid-season. Its a perfect choice for pancakes.
Dark maple syrup has a robust maple flavor as its made later in the maple season. Perfect as a sweetener and complements most savory recipes.
Very dark maple syrup made at the end of the season and the top choice for any recipe needing a deeply robust flavor like bread, cookies and savory recipes.

For the best flavor in this recipe, use dark or very dark maple syrup. If you absolutely must substitute do not reach for pancake syrup – use dark brown sugar instead!

how to spatchcock your chicken for this orange maple recipe

First, why should you spatchcock your chicken? The chicken will cook more evenly and with more even caramelization and crisping of the skin since a greater surface area is exposed to dry heat. A spatchcocked chicken also cooks faster. A whole trussed chicken, especially for larger birds cooks unevenly since the thighs, drumsticks and lower part of the breast are typically smushed together.

Step 1. Flip your chicken over on the breast side and feel on either side of the tail for a soft spot. Using a sturdy pair of kitchen shears and starting at the soft spot located next to the tail, cut along the side of the spine up to the base of the neck. Repeat on the other side. Discard the spine or save for later to make chicken broth or chicken stock.
Remove any remnants of innards from along the cut edges.

removing the spine of a whole roaster chicken with kitchen shears

Step 2. Flip the chicken over again and press down on the breast bone with the heel of your palm. I like to use a CPR stance for this. Start by placing your dominant hand directly over the other. Interlock your fingers then push down on the breast bone with the heel of your palm while using your upper body weight to help with force.
You should hear or feel a crack. This will help the chicken lay completely flat while being roasted.

a spatchcocked whole roaster chicken on a metal baking sheet

how to make this spatchcocked Whole roasted Orange maple chicken

Step 1. Prepare the rub. Combine the orange zest, softened butter, 2 TBSP of the maple syrup, garlic, ginger, rosemary, paprika, salt & black pepper in a small bowl and mix til combined.

seasoning rub for a whole roasted orange maple chicken

Step 2. Pat chicken dry using paper towels. Removing excess moisture will help to avoid soggy skin and help the skin crisp as it roasts. It also helps the marinade better stick to the chicken.

Step 3. Apply the rub to the chicken, making sure to pull the skin away from the meat and apply the rub under the skin as well. Squeeze the orange juice over the chicken or add in some extra navel orange slices.
Although you can roast the chicken right after applying the rub, marinating for at least 4 hours (preferably overnight) is optimal. As the chicken marinates the seasoning permeates throughout the meat and also helps to tenderize it as well.

rubbing seasoning under a whole chicken to be whole roasted

orange-maple seasoned spatchcocked chicken to be whole roasted

Step 4. Pre heat oven to 375°F. After marinating, place chicken breast side up in a pan with an inset rack if not already. (I used this 13-inch baking pan by Cuisinart). Pour any remaining marinade along with 1 cup chicken stock into the bottom of the roasting pan.
As the stock and marinade mixture heats the steam will help to keep the chicken moist while elevating the chicken on a rack helps in even cooking and aids in getting crispy skin. You will save the drippings for the sauce later.

Step 5. Insert your meat thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh. When placing your temperature probe be careful of two things. First, be sure not to insert it so that it touches bone as bone conducts heat differently so you run the risk of getting inaccurate readings. Second, once your probe is placed double check that no section of the probe is exposed and that it is fully surrounded by the meat of the chicken thighs.

meat thermometer placed in the thigh of a spatchcocked chicken

Step 6. Cover with aluminum foil and cook the chicken for 30 minutes at 375°F on the middle rack of the oven.

Step 7. Remove the foil and brush the chicken with the remaining maple syrup. If you used them, move the orange slices off the top of the chicken for even browning. Continue to roast the chicken until the temperature probe records an internal temperature of 165-170°F (about another 30 -40 minutes). The chicken thighs take the longest to cook through so once the probe records an internal temperature of at least 165°F the chicken is ready.
Use a turkey baster to baste the chicken with the pan drippings every 10-15 minutes . This will help prevent the chicken from drying out while helping to infuse deeper flavors and getting a rich golden brown color on the skin.

Step 8. Once cooked through remove from the oven and ensure that the chicken rests for at least 15 minutes before cutting (or removing your thermometer probe).
This allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat. Cutting the chicken without allowing it to rest will cause the juices to run out as it is sliced leaving the meat dry.

Step 9. While the chicken rests prepare the orange maple glaze sauce. Transfer the pan juices to a small saucepan and over medium heat or medium-high heat allow the drippings to reduce for 5-7 minutes into a sauce . Add extra maple syrup and/or salt to taste.
Serve glaze as a sauce after slicing/cutting the chicken or pour over the whole chicken – dealer’s choice!

Serve while while warm with your choice of sides!

how to breakdown a whole chicken and minimize waste

A common hesitation to cooking birds whole is the uncertainty about breaking it down. Here’s a step-by-step process to take out the guess work and make the process easy!
What knife is best for cutting up a whole chicken? None. I recommend using kitchen shears. They are safer if you are inexperienced with breaking down whole birds and offer more controlled cuts. You’re also able to to feel different textures (bone vs meat) before actually cutting through so you can end up with cleaner cuts!

Step 1. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board (preferably with a juice groove) tart with the thighs and drumstick. Using the kitchen shears cut the skin along the fold of the thigh. Do not worry about cutting through bone/meat.
Hold the chicken thigh firmly in one hand while keeping the rest of the chicken steady with your other hand. Twist the thighs up toward the chicken breast to pop the thigh out of the joint. Use kitchen shears and cut through the cartilage/ligaments still attached.

how to break apart a spatchcocked and whole roasted orange maple chicken

Step 2. To separate the chicken drumsticks from the thighs hold the thigh in one hand and the drumstick in the other and simply break them apart by turning your fists up or down to meet each other. This is the same motion you would use to break pasta in half (which is sacrilege by the way!)
Use the kitchen shears again to to cut through any cartilage/ligaments.

breaking apart a spatchcocked and whole roasted orange maple chicken

Step 3. Move on to the wings. Use the kitchen shears to cut the skin where the wing meets the breast. Take a hold of one wing while again holding the rest of the chicken with the other hand to hold it steady. Twist the wing to pop it out of the joint. Use your kitchen shears again to cut any cartilage/ligaments. Repeat with the other wing.

twisting the wing off a spatchcocked and whole roasted orange maple chicken

Step 4. Separate the chicken breasts. A spatchcocked chicken should have a clear indentation in the middle. Use the kitchen shears to cut down the middle using that indentation as a guide and separating the two breasts. There will be bone/ribs along the inside that you will cut through.
If slicing the the breast for serving remove the ribs with your fingers. These should easily pull apart from the meat.

breaking apart a spatchcocked and whole chicken

Note: If the chicken doesn’t easily pop out of the joint or readily pull away from the bone this means that the chicken is not fully cooked through.