Jennifer Garner’s ‘Pretty’ Chicken Dish Is Sure To Make You a Cookout Star This Summer

I absolutely love finding new cooking techniques and recipe inspiration on social media, whether it’s for a new baked good or a dinner I can test on the weekends. I specifically love following along with Jennifer Garner’s “Pretend Cooking Show,” where she shares her latest favorites she’s making at home. From an olive oil cake to Allrecipes’ very own bagels, Garner shows her followers that cooking at home doesn’t have to be scary, and can even be fun.

Recently, she shared a chicken recipe from NYT Cooking’s Melissa Clark, which looks delicious with flavors like lemon and chili powder. However, it’s the method by which she prepared the chicken that has me excited.

Jennifer Garner’s Easy Spatchcocked Roast Chicken on the Grill

On her “Pretend Cooking Show,” Garner makes a spiced, grilled chicken. However, what makes this dish genius is how she prepares the chicken to ensure even cooking. She walks viewers through the process of how to spatchcock, or flatten, the bird, which makes the cooking process quicker and easier. In the video, she says the previous time she made the meal, “there was this really great broth at the bottom. It was so satisfactory.”

And the dish truly does look delectable. By flattening the chicken and adding flavorings to the pan while the chicken cooks, Garner produces a perfectly browned and juicy whole chicken. This tasty summer twist on the classic roast chicken dinner comes to temperature quickly thanks to spatchcocking, and cooks outdoors so as not to heat up the house.

How To Prepare Jennifer Garner’s Grilled Roast Chicken Dish

In the Instagram post, Garner shows viewers that in order to spatchcock a chicken, you first have to remove its backbone. She flips the bird so its back is facing up and cuts along either side of the spine with kitchen shears. In the video, Garner says to save the removed section, as it’s perfect for homemade stock. She then fully flattens the chicken by scoring the sternum and pressing straight down on the bird, with the breast side up.

The spatchcocking method allows the chicken to cook more evenly on the grill and also helps make it easier to season. Garner mixes the spices together and, in addition to sprinkling them all over the chicken, rubs the mixture into the meat itself beneath the skin of each breast. She also adds some spice mix atop the legs’ skin, as well as inside the chicken’s thoracic cavity.

After the seasoned chicken has rested in the fridge for the day, Garner prepares the grill and places the chicken breast-side down on a heated cast iron skillet. In the video, she reminds you to monitor the grill temperature throughout the cooking process, as it changes constantly. “You always have to check your chick, you can’t just leave it here on its own,” she says. 

While it cooks, she makes a fun summer side by slicing a lemon, garlic cloves, and yellow onion to join the chicken in the skillet once the breasts are browned. She then flips the bird so the onion and lemon slices cook beneath the bird, seasoning it while protecting it from further browning in contact with the pan. 

Once the chicken is done, she tilts the pan to show all of the juices bubbling beneath the bird. The chicken is evenly browned all over, with the skin crispy and sizzling. Garner remarks, “Isn’t she pretty?” while admiring her dish. And I must say, the bird really is beautiful! Jennifer Garner’s cooking method shows that making a whole chicken doesn’t have to be daunting, and also offers a fun way to cook this summer. I know how I’ll be making my chicken this weekend!