Juicy, tender, and packed with fresh flavours, this lemon and herb chicken flattie is a simple dish perfect for any night of the week. Marinated in a blend of lemon juice, garlic, and fragrant herbs, the chicken is flattened for even cooking and crisps up beautifully in the air fryer. The result is golden, crispy skin with succulent meat infused with tangy citrus flavours - ready in under an hour and perfect to serve with your favourite sides or a fresh salad.
Unless you are South African, you are going to be asking 'what on earth is a chicken flattie?' A flattie is simply another name for a spatchcocked chicken - or to put it another way, a chicken that has had the backbone removed to make it lay flat in the roasting pan or air fryer.
I find that unless your chicken is really small, it's very difficult to fit it into the air fryer without the top of the chicken coming into contact with the element. Removing the backbone means that you can lay the chicken flat, making it much easier to fit into the air fryer basket.
Cooking a lemon and herb chicken flattie in the air fryer has so many advantages:
- chicken cooked in an air fryer is incredibly moist and juicy;
- an air fryer cooks the chicken faster than a conventional oven, meaning you save on energy costs;
- the chicken skin turns out beautifully crispy.
For this lemon and herb chicken flattie, I've chosen to use a simple marinade of herbs and fresh lemon juice. For maximum flavour, you should marinate the chicken for at least an hour, or even up to overnight, before cooking it. If you don't fancy lemon and herb, I've given some other marinade suggestions further down the post.
I normally pick up a small whole chicken when I'm doing my grocery shopping, bring it home, remove the backbone and pack it into a large freezer bag with the marinade and then freeze it. I remove the flattie from the freezer the day before I want to serve it, and by the time it's defrosted in the refrigerator, it's perfectly marinated and ready for the air fryer.
For those of you who want more detail, see my post on how to spatchcock a chicken. This post also gives instructions for cooking the flattened chicken in the oven.
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Ingredients
The size of the chicken you cook will depend on the size of your air fryer! The chicken I cooked for this recipe was 1.7 kg or 3 and three-quarter pounds. Smaller chickens will obviously cook in a lesser time.
Mind you, I do have quite a large air fryer. The basket is 9 inches square and measures 12 inches from corner to corner. If your air fryer is quite small, this recipe will work just as well with chicken pieces, but you will need to adjust the time. See this recipe for air fryer chicken drumsticks.
- Chicken - buy a small to medium-sized whole chicken (depending on the size of your air fryer. Remove the backbone (following the instructions below).
- Lemon - this is the juice squeezed from a small lemon. You could use an equivalent amount of bottled lemon juice.
- Olive oil - this forms the base of the marinade. Using oil in the marinade means that whether you cook the chicken in the oven or in the air fryer, you don't have to add any extra oil to the pan.
- Garlic powder - this is optional, but does add extra flavour. I like to use garlic powder in a marinade, but you could use finely minced garlic instead.
- Salt - this is to your own taste.
- Herbs - use whatever combination of herbs you like. I used a mixture of oregano, Italian herbs and thyme. You can use either fresh or dried herbs. If you use fresh, you will need three times the quantities of dried herbs as dried herbs have a much more concentrated flavour.
**You can find the exact ingredient quantities for making this lemon and herb chicken flattie on the printable recipe card at the end of this post**
Instructions
Step 1: Use a pair of kitchen shears to remove the backbone from the chicken. Cut through the chicken as close to the spine as possible. This will involve cutting through the ribs, so you might need to use a little force.
Step 2: Once the backbone has been removed, cut off the wing tips (unless you enjoy the tips once they have crisped). Discard the backbone and wing tips or use them to make stock.
Step 3: Turn the chicken over and press down firmly in the centre of the breast. You should hear the breastbone snap. If it doesn't snap, turn the chicken back over and use the kitchen shears to cut through the breastbone so the chicken lays completely flat.
Step 4: Combine the marinade ingredients in a small bowl.
Step 5: Rub the marinade all over the chicken and leave the chicken breast side down in a bowl to marinate for at least an hour.
Step 6: Transfer the chicken, breast side down, to the basket of an air fryer and cook at 195C / 380F for 10 minutes.
The previous step depends entirely on how large your chicken is. My chicken was 1.7kg or 3.75 pounds. If your chicken is below 1.25 kg or 3 pounds, then you can skip this step and place the chicken skin side up (as in step 7) and you shouldn't need to turn it while it cooks.
Step 7: Turn the chicken skin side up and ensure it lays flat in the air fryer tray.
Step 8: Cook the chicken at 195C/380F for 30 to 35 minutes until it is golden brown and cooked through.
The chicken will be fully cooked when it registers 74C/165F on a digital probe thermometer. If you don't have a thermometer, stick a sharp knife into the thick part of the thigh or breast. If the chicken is cooked, the juices will run clear.
These timings are for a 1.7kg chicken. If your chicken is smaller than this, it will take less time to cook.
Allow the chicken to rest in the air fryer basket (or on a plate covered with tinfoil) for 10 minutes before carving.
Tips for a successful outcome
Here are my top tips to ensure your lemon and herb chicken flattie always turns out perfectly:
- Make sure you either break through the chicken backbone by pressing down firmly on the breast with the palm of your hand or use a pair of kitchen shears to cut through it. This will ensure the chicken lays as flat as possible in the air fryer basket for even cooking.
- When marinating the chicken, cover both sides with the marinade and then turn the chicken skin side down so that the thickest pieces of meat lay in the marinade.
- If your chicken is very small, you can put it straight into the air fryer, skin-side up, as it will not need to cook for quite as long. For larger chickens, I like to cook them skin-side down for the first 10 minutes to allow the chicken to cook around the bone.
- My 1.7 kg chicken took 35 minutes to cook to perfection (or 45 minutes in total). As a rule of thumb you will need 25 to 30 minutes per kilogram (or 2.25 pounds).
- Rest the chicken before carving. The chicken will continue to cook from residual heat as it rests, so don't skip this step. Resting the chicken also allows time for the juices to redistribute through the meat and will help prevent the juices from leaking out when you carve the bird.
Serving suggestions
This lemon and herb chicken flattie can be served either hot or cold.
I like to serve the chicken cold with a selection of salads. Here are a few side dishes that I enjoy:
- cheesy garlic baguettes
- stuffed potato skins
- spicy beetroot salad
- tomato and onion pasta salad in a creamy cheese sauce
- copper penny salad
- creamy egg and potato salad
And of course, you can serve it hot with your favourite vegetable sides. You might like to try some of these:
- minted smashed peas
- cheesy potato casserole
- cheesy gem squash
- green bean casserole
- creamy leek an brussels sprouts bake
Or simply visit my sides and salad recipes page for more inspiration,
Variations
The marinade you use for the chicken is entirely up to you.
Here are a few ideas:
- for a spicy chicken, marinate it in a bottle of your favourite Nando's marinade;
- give it a barbeque flavour by using a bottle of barbeque sauce;
- make it sweet and sticky by combining 3 tablespoons of dark soy sauce and 2 tablespoons of runny honey. Stir in a teaspoon of garlic paste and half a teaspoon of ginger paste. Optionally, add half a teaspoon each of chilli paste and salt. Rub the mixture all over the chicken.
Equipment
You will need the following main items of equipment to make this air fryer lemon and herb chicken:
- An air fryer large enough to fit your chicken. My air fryer is quite large, with a 4.5-litre capacity. Smaller air fryers will do the job just as well, but you may need to use a smaller chicken or even individual chicken pieces.
- Heavy duty kitchen shears to remove the backbone from the chicken. They need to be strong enough to cut through the chicken ribs where they are attached to the backbone.
- A small dish to combine the lemon and herb marinade.
- A large dish to marinate the chicken. I used a 9" square Pyrex glass dish.
Storage
Uncooked chicken (in your marinade of choice) can be placed into a large freezer bag and frozen for up to 4 months. Allow the chicken to defrost for a few hours in the refrigerator before cooking according to the recipe instructions. Don't try to cook the chicken from frozen, as I haven't tested this and can't provide accurate times and temperature.
Leftover cooked chicken can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and either used to make sandwiches or used in one of these recipes:
- leftover chicken and ham pie
- oven-baked chicken empanadas
- chicken and mushroom quiche
- leftover chicken shepherd's pie
FAQ
When you spatchcock a chicken, you simply remove the backbone and crack the breastbone so the chicken lays flat in the pan. This allows for faster, more even cooking, making it perfect for air frying.
Absolutely. In fact, we always used to cook our flatties on the barbeque in South Africa. Place the marinated chicken in a foldable barbeque basket and arrange the hot coals around the edge of the barbeque. Place the chicken (in the basket) in the centre of the BBQ grill and cook for about an hour (depending on the heat from the coals), turning frequently. Don't place the chicken directly over hot coals or it will burn on the outside before the inside has had time to cook. To make it faster to cook, place the uncooked chicken in the microwave and cook on full power for 6 to 7 minutes to give it a head start. Baste the chicken with any leftover marinade as it cooks.
The chicken will be cooked when it registers 75C or 165F on a digital probe thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat.
Yes, you can cook the marinated chicken flattie in the oven. Allow 40 minutes per kg or 20 minutes per pound at 180C / 360F.
Save for later
If you would like to make this air fryer lemon and herb chicken, why not save the recipe to one of your Pinterest boards so you can find it easily? Just click the image below.
Alternatively, you can save the recipe by clicking on the floating heart icon on the right-hand side of the screen.
Related recipes
Visit my chicken and poultry recipes page for other delicious chicken recipes. Here are a few you might enjoy:
📋The recipe
Air fryer lemon and herb chicken flattie
(Click the stars to rate this recipe)
Equipment
- Air fryer to cook the chicken
- Kitchen shears to remove backbone
- Small dish for mixing marinade
- Large dish to marinade chicken
Ingredients
- 3¾ pound 1.7 kg chicken
Marinade
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small lemon (juice only)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder optional
- ½ teaspoon salt or to your own taste
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
Instructions
- Use a pair of kitchen shears to remove the backbone from the chicken. Cut through the chicken as close to the spine as possible. This will involve cutting through the ribs, so you might need to use a little force.3¾ pound 1.7 kg chicken
- Once the backbone has been removed, cut off the wing tips (unless you enjoy the tips once they have crisped). Discard the backbone and wing tips or use them to make stock.
- Turn the chicken over and press down firmly in the centre of the breast. You should hear the breastbone snap. If it doesn't snap, turn the chicken back over and use the kitchen shears to cut through the breastbone so the chicken lays completely flat.
- Combine the marinade ingredients in a small bowl.2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 small lemon (juice only), 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs, 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- Rub the marinade all over the chicken and leave the chicken breast side down in a bowl to marinate for at least an hour.
- Transfer the chicken, breast side down, to the basket of an air fryer and cook at 195C / 380F for 10 minutes.
- The previous step depends entirely on how large your chicken is. My chicken was 1.7kg or 3.75 pounds. If your chicken is below 1.25 kg or 3 pounds, then you can skip this step and place the chicken skin side up and you shouldn't need to turn it while it cooks.
- Turn the chicken skin side up and ensure it lays flat in the air fryer tray.
- Cook the chicken at 195C/380F for a further 30 to 35 minutes until it is golden brown and cooked through.
- The chicken will be fully cooked when it registers 74C/165F on a digital probe thermometer. If you don't have a thermometer, stick a sharp knife into the thick part of the thigh or breast. If the chicken is cooked, the juices will run clear.
- Allow the chicken to rest in the air fryer basket (or on a plate covered with tinfoil) for 10 minutes before carving.
Notes
- Make sure you either break through the chicken backbone by pressing down firmly on the breast with the palm of your hand or use a pair of kitchen shears to cut through it. This will ensure the chicken lays as flat as possible in the air fryer basket for even cooking.
- When marinating the chicken, cover both sides with the marinade and then turn the chicken skin side down so that the thickest pieces of meat lay in the marinade.
- If your chicken is very small, you can put it straight into the air fryer, skin-side up, as it will not need to cook for quite as long. For larger chickens, I like to cook them skin-side down for the first 10 minutes to allow the chicken to cook around the bone.
- My 1.7 kg chicken took 35 minutes to cook to perfection (or 45 minutes in total). As a rule of thumb you will need 25 to 30 minutes per kilogram (or 2.25 pounds).
- Rest the chicken before carving. The chicken will continue to cook from residual heat as it rests, so don't skip this step. Resting the chicken also allows time for the juices to redistribute through the meat and will help prevent the juices from leaking out when you carve the bird.
- Uncooked chicken (in your marinade of choice) can be placed into a large freezer bag and frozen for up to 4 months. Allow the chicken to defrost for a few hours in the refrigerator before cooking according to the recipe instructions. Don't try to cook the chicken from frozen, as I haven't tested this and can't provide accurate times and temperature.
- Leftover cooked chicken can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat leftover chicken at 180C / 360F in the air fryer for about 5 minutes.
Nutrition
I am not a nutritionist. The nutrition information has been calculated using an on-line calculator, and is intended for information and guidance purposes only. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should consider calculating it yourself, using your preferred tool.
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