Ground Turkey Bowl Recipe

This one’s been a reader favorite for good reason. After nearly 20 years of feeding families (and winning over skeptics), I’ve learned that ground turkey just needs the right seasoning and a solid sear to become the star of the show. Serve it over rice, wrap it in lettuce, pile it on a salad—whatever your vibe, it works.

Quick, healthy, totally customizable, and way more exciting than your usual weeknight fallback. Make it once, and you’ll get why it’s on so many meal rotations and meal prep plans!

Mediterranean Turkey Bowl Ingredients

• Avocado oil: I like the Chosen brand in the large bottles found at Costco.
• Ground turkey
• Middle Eastern Seasoning: This spice blend is quick to assemble with easy to find seasonings and breaths life into that ground turkey! It also makes a fantastic grill rub or marinade, so keep a jar handy in the cupboard.
• Cucumber
• Cherry tomatoes
• Feta cheese
• Steamed rice (Optional as the base): Jasmine rice is always my first choice for rice bowls since it’s fluffy and not as starchy as short-grained rice. You can also long-grain white rice or basmati rice. If you use brown rice or wild rice plan on some extra cook time for those because they take twice as long as white rice.
• Salad greens (Optional as the base)
• Lemons
• Olive oil
• Hummus
• Plain yogurt: Feel free to use full-fat or non-fat here. Both work well!

How to make Ground Turkey Bowls

1. Start cooking your rice, if you are using it as a base for your bowl.
2. Warm the avocado oil and cook the ground turkey until it is cooked through.
3. Then add the remaining avocado oil and seasoning. Continue to cook, breaking the turkey into small pieces, until it is very golden brown and crisped up.
4. Meanwhile, prep your bowl ingredients.
5. Assemble the bowls by scooping some rice or salad greens into a bowl. Top with a few spoonfuls of seasoned turkey, cucumbers, tomatoes, hummus, plain yogurt, and feta.
6. Squeeze lemon over the whole bowl and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil or a spicy condiment.

Seasoning the Ground Turkey

My favorite seasoning blend for this particular recipe is my Middle Eastern Seasoning. It has a lot of herbs and a bit of curry. Steve said this turkey tasted a little like falafel -- to give you an idea of the flavor.

It doesn't have any unusual spices or herbs. It's heavy on the garlic powder, cumin, and dried parsley and all of the ingredients are easy to find in the grocery store. You can also use this seasoning in my Gyro-Inspired Shredded Beef!

My Greek Seasoning is also really good here as well as any other Middle Eastern-ish type of seasoning like Za'atar or the North African blend, Ras el Hanout.

Tips for how to cook Ground Turkey

Here are a few of my best tips on how to cook ground turkey so it actually tastes good.

Add moisture

If you're making turkey burgers or meatloaf,, add some shredded zucchini, shredded carrots, minced bell peppers, or another type of quick cooking vegetable to the ground meat. It will release some moisture as it cooks and a great way to keep those burgers moist.

Add fat

It seems counterintuitive to add fat to really lean ground turkey because the appeal of ground turkey is that it's an extremely lean protein.

Some say it's a healthier alternative to beef, but I'd rather define "healthy" according to the way meat is sourced. Grass-fed beef is far healthier than conventional red meat and poultry you find in the grocery store. I digress....

I'm not saying that you should go nuts here, but a little bit of fat will go a long way. Try adding a little peanut butter along with some Thai-inspired ingredients to your turkey burgers!

Add LOTS of flavor

Ground turkey has a very mild flavor (like chicken) and is an excellent blank slate for bold flavors. Use a heavy hand with that seasoning or other bold ingredients -- like soy sauce, chili powder, or worcestershire sauce.

Mediterranean Turkey Bowl Variations

• Swap the protein: Ground beef or pork or a blend of two meats would work really well here.
• Make it a pita: Make it portable and stuff the turkey, vegetables, and toppings into a warm pita pocket.
• Make it into a salad: Nix the grains and put it all on a bed of salad greens.

How to Serve This Ground Turkey Bowl Recipe

One of my most favorite meals is my Gyro-Inspired Shredded Beef made into a bowl like this with Tzatziki sauce and Cucumber Tomato Salad with Feta. It's not a last-minute dinner you can make on the fly in 30-minutes. It's more like something that I'd cook for company and one of the most delicious meals that my family loves.

These easy turkey bowls are a shortcut version of this made with the same seasoning and most of the same components! It's literally one of the best ground turkey recipes I've ever had.

You can adapt this how you like to fit your taste or dietary preferences, but this is what I used:

• Steamed rice or salad greens as a base
• English cucumbers
• Cherry tomatoes
• Feta cheese
• Hummus
• Plain Full-Fat yogurt (or Greek yogurt)
• Fresh lemon juice
• extra-virgin olive oil

One of my favorite things about this meal is that it allows my kid to assemble their own bowls.

The best way to avoid complaints about dinner is to give your kids some control over what they're eating. Build your own bowls are PERFECT for this. (And why we have taco salads/bowls so frequently!)

Storage and Meal Prep for This Ground Turkey Bowl

This recipe would also make a great meal prep for a week's worth of lunches or dinners for busy weeknights for one person!

Just store each component in an airtight container or assemble each meal in those meal prep containers -- saving the drizzle of olive oil and lemon juice right before serving.

You know.... this technique would make fabulous filling for ground turkey tacos by using your favorite taco seasoning!

Adding a little extra color to your ground meat is helpful when you're making sloppy joes or turkey chili. Grab a can of tomato sauce and try using ground turkey in my Healthy Sloppy Joe's recipe! 

If you like this recipe, check out some other easy ground turkey recipes on my site!

Ground Turkey Bowl Recipe FAQs

More Ground Turkey Recipes on Perry's Plate

Moroccan Paleo Turkey Chili is a delicious and unique spin on a chili recipe! It's one of my favorite recipes for fall because it's light healthy dinner, yet still incredibly filing.

These Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps can be made with ground turkey, too! They can also be made into bowls if you don't want to bother with lettuce wraps.

Green Chile Turkey Burgers are so full of flavor and adding some guac-ranch and a fried egg gives the burger extra richness and flavor!

Italian Stuffed Paleo Stuffed Zucchini is stuffed with "turkey sausage" which is just ground turkey with some fresh herbs! You can use bulk Italian turkey sausage, too, if you can find it.

If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

More Recipes on Perry's Plate

Ground Turkey Bowl Recipe

Yield: Serves 6

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

These delicious bowls have ultra-seasoned crispy ground turkey and can be customized how you like. I love that they're done in under 30 minutes and always a hit with our kids!

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Ingredients

• 4 Tablespoons avocado oil, divided
• 1 ½ pounds ground turkey
• 3 Tablespoons Middle Eastern Seasoning
• 1 English cucumber, diced
• 1-2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
• 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
• Steamed rice or chopped salad greens
• 2 lemons
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Hummus & plain yogurt, for garnish

Instructions

1. Start cooking your rice, if you are choosing to use it as a base for your bowl.
2. Heat 1 Tablespoon of avocado oil to high heat in a large skillet. Add the ground turkey and cook for 10-12 minutes, breaking it up with a spatula, until it is cooked through and starting to get golden brown in spots.
3. Add the remaining 2 Tablespoons avocado oil and seasoning to the turkey. Continue to cook, breaking the turkey into even smaller pieces, until it is very golden brown and crisped up, another 5-10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, prep your bowl ingredients.
5. Assemble the bowls by scooping some rice or salad greens into a bowl. Top with a few spoonfuls of seasoned turkey, cucumbers, tomatoes, hummus, plain yogurt, and feta. Squeeze ¼ lemon over the whole bowl and drizzle with about 1 Tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil. Add some freshly ground pepper and a spicy condiment, if desired. I recommend chili crunch or harissa paste for this bowl, but you can use sriracha if you like.

Notes

1. I love the MIddle Eastern Seasoning with this recipe, but there are a few others that would be great as well. Try using my Greek Seasoning, Za'atar Seasoning, or another bold Mediterranean-inspired seasoning blend.

Nutrition Information

Yield 6 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 653Total Fat 46gSaturated Fat 13gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 29gCholesterol 166mgSodium 2868mgCarbohydrates 24gFiber 5gSugar 7gProtein 40g

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

The post Ground Turkey Bowl Recipe (Great for Meal Prep) appeared first on Perry's Plate.

These chicken shawarma bowls went into a lot of faces, and I got nothing but raves. Raves from my kids are always my favorite because feeding kids relatively healthy things is always a struggle.

Note: Next time I'll use different vegetables because most of my kids didn't like these. But I used them because they cooked quickly. And they're pretty together. (Ok, mostly because they were pretty.)

You'll love this Chicken Shawarma Recipe

This is one of those recipes I super puffy heart love because it's easy to prep, super tasty, and also works well as a meal prep for lunches during the week!

You can customize this recipe quite a bit, too! I'll give you some ideas on alternative vegetables, different things to serve with the chicken and vegetables and a few topping ideas.

What is Chicken Shawarma?

Chicken shawarma is a Middle Eastern dish with heavily spiced chicken roasted on spits and shaved into thin slices. Usually served in a flatbread/wrap type of thing.

Sheet Pan Chicken Shawarma Ingredients

• Chicken breasts or thighs
• Quick-roasting vegetables: I used cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced zucchini, and some red onion. You can also use asparagus, thinly sliced yellow squash, small broccoli florets, shredded cabbage, or shredded Brussels sprouts.
• Lemon
• Shawarma Seasoning: Use my Homemade Shawarma Seasoning or find some Shawarma Seasoning online! (It's kind of hard to find locally, but chances are you have most of the ingredients already in your cupboard.) Or, try my Sriracha Rub.
• Oil, Salt, & Pepper
• Feta cheese (optional)

This is the basic recipe and you can serve it over a few different things and with a few different toppings. I'll give you more details below.

How to make Sheet Pan Chicken Shawarma

1. Spread the chopped veg onto a couple of sheet pans. Toss with oil and some salt.
2. Toss the shawarma seasoning and oil with the chicken, then add it to the sheet pans.
3. Broil, rotating pans halfway through roasting.
4. Serve any way you like!

How to serve this Oven Roasted Chicken Shawarma 

If you're wanting this to be ultra minimalist, you could just eat it as is right off the pan! Here are my top three ways of serving this:

In a grain bowl: Use freshly steamed rice or quinoa.

On a salad: Put it over a bowl of salad greens.

In a wrap: Build some flatbread wraps.

What to serve with Chicken Shawarma

Sauces and dips really bring dishes together! You'll want to add one of these options no matter how you serve your chicken shawarma:

Tahini Yogurt Dressing: You may be able to find this in a grocery store, but I included a basic recipe in the recipe card below!

Tzatziki: Again, available in grocery stores, but I've got a recipe within this post: Homemade Tzatziki

Hummus: Mmm. Love this and you can find it just about anywhere.

You could also just drizzle your bowl/flatbread with extra-virgin olive oil and a squeeze of lemon. And add a dollop of plain Greek yogurt if you're in a hurry.

Storing Shawarma Chicken

Store any leftovers in a lidded container in the fridge for up to 7 days.

If you're meal prepping, divide the chicken and vegetables into containers with rice and store toppings and salad greens separately.

Easy Shawarma Chicken Recipe FAQs

If you liked this recipe, try another one of my easy sheet pan meals!

More Delicious Meals on Perry's Plate

Hawaiian BBQ Chicken

Garlic Butter Salmon Pan

Sausage and Veggie Sheet Pan

Mediterranean Salmon

Baked Chicken Pesto Recipe

Wild Rice Salad

If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

Easy Chicken Shawarma Recipe

Yield: Serves 6

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Traditional shawarma is spit-roasted and shaved into thin slices. I don't have a way to spit roast anything, and I'm guessing you don't either. My version of chicken shawarma has all the shawarma flavors you love in sheet pan form! No spit roasting needed.

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Ingredients

• 8 ounces cherry tomatoes
• 1 medium zucchini
• ½ red onion
• 3 Tablespoons avocado oil, divided
• Sea Salt and Black Pepper
• 1 ½ - 2 pounds chicken breast or thighs
• 1 ½ Tablespoons Shawarma Seasoning
• 1 lemon
• ½ cup feta cheese crumbles
• Rice, flatbread, or salad greens, for serving

For the tahini dressing:

Toggle ingredient group

• ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
• 2 Tablespoons tahini
• 2 Tablespoons warm water
• 1 Tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove, grated or Microplaned

Instructions

1. Place one of your oven racks high in the oven and preheat your oven broiler to high.
2. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment or spray with nonstick spray.
3. Slice the cherry tomatoes in half. Slice the zucchini in half lengthwise, then slice into ½ inch pieces. Peel and cut the onion into small wedges. Divide the vegetables evenly on the two sheet pans.
4. Drizzle the vegetables with 2 tablespoons of the oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat and then spread them evenly on the pans.
5. Place your chicken strips in a bowl. Add the remaining Tablespoons of oil, the shawarma seasoning, and the juice from ½ of the lemon. Toss to coat.
6. Divide the chicken evenly on the pans with the vegetables. The pans shouldn't be overcrowded (you should be able to see the bottom of the pan in spots).
7. Place one pan on the very high rack and one on the bottom. Broil for 8-10 minutes until dark spots begin to form on the vegetables on the top pan. Rotate the pans and cook for another 8-10 minutes until the other pan looks the same. Cook until the chicken is just barely cooked through or else it will dry out.
8. Meanwhile, whisk together all of the ingredients for the tahini dressing.
9. Serve the chicken shawarma and veggies with rice, flat bread, or salad greens. Add a squeeze of the remaining ½ lemon, a drizzle of tahini sauce, and some feta crumbles.

Notes

1. If tahini isn't your thing, you can serve these with hummus or tzatziki. If you need a recipe for tzatziki you can use mine: Homemade Tzatziki (see recipe card within that post)
2. If you don't want to make Homemade Shawarma Seasoning, you can find some online. (I had a hard time finding it locally, but World Market carries it.)

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  The Spice Way - Shawarma Seasoning Blend - Recipe Included (meat and poultry rub/meat and poultry spice) - 4 oz
• 
  Microplane 45000 Gourmet Series Coarse Cheese Grater, 18/8, Silver

Nutrition Information

Yield 6 Serving Size ⅙th
Amount Per Serving Calories 535Total Fat 21gSaturated Fat 6gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 14gCholesterol 170mgSodium 478mgCarbohydrates 24gFiber 2gSugar 4gProtein 61g

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

This post may contain affiliate links. Any purchases made by using these links won't cost you any extra and helps keep my content free. These links may be Amazon links as I am part of the Amazon Associate Program.

The post Oven Roasted Chicken Shawarma appeared first on Perry's Plate.

Since I fell in love with chicken shawarma a while back, the combination of heat, coolness, and acid from the chilies, yogurt, and lemon has been one I keep going back to. If you've never used Harissa paste, you're in for a treat. I'll show you what it looks like and where to find it.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Easy clean up! Sheet pans meals are great like that.
• The flavor combination of this is perfection: (gently) spicy + sweet vegetables + cooling yogurt sauce
• Chicken thighs are forgiving and stay juicy
• Make-ahead friendly
• Meal prep friendly
• Easily made gluten free and/or grain free/paleo

What is Harissa?

Harissa is a North African chili paste from Tunisia. It tastes spicy, smoky, and a little tangy, and you can find it at some grocery stores and online. I like Trader Joe's especially because of the price. It's on the spicier side, though. Mina makes a more mild version found on Amazon.

Ingredients

For the Chicken

I like boneless skinless thighs here, but you can use bone-in (even more forgiving and juicier!).

For the Vegetables

Carrots, butternut squash, and red onion are my choices for this and I'm keeping the seasoning simple to let the harissa do the heavy lifting. You can swap out veg, too, and I added some recommendations below.

For the Garlic Yogurt Sauce

Plain yogurt (Greek or otherwise), fresh garlic , lemon juice, olive oil, salt. This cooling yogurt sauce pulls this whole meal together and takes some heat out of the harissa, if you're concerned with that. If you want to boost the heat, then add a little harissa to the sauce. It turns the prettiest peachy color, too.

How to Make Sheet Pan Harissa Chicken

Marinate the Chicken (Even 20 Minutes Helps)

You'll want to rub that harissa paste and some oil on the chicken and let it marinate for at least 15 min. I aim for about ½ teaspoon per thigh -- adjust it as you see fit. If you're using skin-on thighs, make sure to get some of that mixture under the skin, too, for maximum flavor. This is a step you can do the day before for even more flavor.

Prep the Vegetables

The size of the vegetables is important here. Since butternut squash and carrots take a little longer to roast, you'l want to cut those smaller and roughly the same size. Onions roast quickly if thin, so cut those into bigger chunks so they don't burn. Also, arrange them around the chicken instead of underneath or on top, you want them to have space for steam to escape so you veggies aren't steamed instead of roasted.

Roast Everything Together

Roasting temp is 425F for about 20 minutes. Check the chicken and if it's 160-165F, then pull it off the pan. Chances are your veggies will still need a few more minutes to develop some caramelization, but they should be cooked through. I like to broil them for 2-3 minutes to finish them off. If you have skin-on chicken, leave the chicken on the pan so the skin broils and crisps up, too.

Make the Garlic Yogurt Sauce

While the chicken is doing its thing, mix together the yogurt sauce ingredients. If you've got a microplane grater, use that for the garlic. You'll thank me later.

Serve

Use the sauce as a bed for everything else (fancy) or add it on the side as a Little Dipper. I love topping my bowl with a squeeze of fresh lemon and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Tips for the Best Sheet Pan Harissa Chicken

• If you're using bone-in chicken, pat it dry before adding the harissa and oil and it'll make the skin crispier.
• Make sure the carrots and butternut squash are similar sizes and about ½-inch thick for even, caramelized roasting.
• Broil the last couple of minutes to get a little more color on the veg.
• Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before slicing so you don't lose all the juice.

How Spicy Is This Recipe?

It varies depending on the brand. I always use Trader Joe's harissa, which is about a medium-hot heat. Mina is mild and NY Shuk is medium. The garlic yogurt sauce is designed to cool the heat a bit. And honestly, the chicken alone wasn't as spicy as I was anticipating. Even my spice-sensitive kids loved the chicken.

Recipe Variations

• Swap another type of root vegetable for the butternut squash, like parsnips or sweet potatoes (but cut the sweet potatoes a little larger since they cook more quickly).
• Add chickpeas to the pan for extra protein. Roasted chickpeas are delicious!
• Make it dairy-free: skip the yogurt sauce or use coconut yogurt.
• Leftover ideas: chop over a grain bowl, stuff into pita with the yogurt sauce as a makeshift shawarma.

Make Ahead and Meal Prep

Now that I'm living alone half the time, I love recipes like this that allow me to prep meals or components for later during the week. Here are some tips to use this recipe for meal prep or a make ahead situation:

• Marinate chicken for up to 24 hours, chop the vegetables the day before, and make the yogurt sauce up to 5 days in advance. Store until ready to cook.
• You can also cook some grains and create some meals ready to reheat. I love glass containers like these meal prep containers on amazon that stack really well in the fridge. Keep the yogurt in a smaller container you can remove so it doesn't reheat with the rest of it.

What to Serve with Harissa Chicken

I like couscous for this because it's SO quick, and it's more typical of the region of the world that this is inspired by, but you can definitely make white rice, quinoa or even cauliflower rice if you need something gluten free.

You could also serve it with a warm pita and a simple cucumber salad.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Bold Chicken Dinners

Chicken Shawarma Sheet Pan Dinner

Chicken Teriyaki & Rice

Chicken Thighs with Coconut Milk

Baked Pesto Chicken & Vegetables

Grilled Pineapple Chicken

The Best Chicken Meatballs

If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

Sheet Pan Harissa Chicken Thighs with Garlic Yogurt Sauce

Yield: Serves 4

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Additional Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Chicken thighs get a (not as spicy as you'd expect) coat of harissa paste and roast alongside sweet carrots and butternut squash until everything is caramelized and deeply fragrant. Don't skimp on that yogurt sauce! It's the perfect cooling, creamy balance to this meal.

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Ingredients

For the Chicken

Toggle ingredient group

• 1 ½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 4-5)
• 1 Tablespoon Harissa paste (see note)
• 3 Tablespoons avocado oil
• 2 cups ½ in chopped butternut squash
• 2 cups ½ in chopped carrots (about 3 large)
• ½ large red onion, cut into large pieces
• 1 lemon
• ½ teaspoon garlic salt

For the yogurt sauce

Toggle ingredient group

• 1 cup plain yogurt (Greek is ok)
• 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon harissa paste (optional)
• 1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced or grated
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt

For serving

Toggle ingredient group

• 1 ½ cups couscous, quinoa, or white rice
• 1 ½ cups chicken broth
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 425F and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment or prep with nonstick spray. If you're making quinoa or rice, prep it with chicken broth now.
2. Put the chicken on the pan, add the harissa and 1 Tablespoon avocado oil on top. Use your hands to coat the chicken well, then spread it out on the pan evenly. Let the mixture sit on the chicken for 15-20 minutes to marinate. (You can do it longer, too, ahead of time!)
3. Lay the vegetables around the chicken (not underheath or on top). Drizzle the remaining 2 Tablespoons of avocado oil over the vegetables along with the juice from half the lemon (save the other half for serving) and the garlic salt. Use your hands to toss the vegetable around a little.
4. Roast for about 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
5. Make the yogurt sauce by combining the yogurt, ½ the juice from the lemon, harissa (if using), olive oil, garlic, and salt. Taste and add extra lemon juice or salt, if needed. Set aside.
6. Meanwhile, make the couscous by bringing the chicken broth to boil in a medium saucepan. Add the couscous, remove from heat, and let it sit, covered, for about 10 minutes or until you're ready otherwise eat. Season with salt before serving.
7. When the chicken is finished, remove it from the pan. Return the vegetables to the oven under the broiler and cook for another 2-3 minutes to get some color on them.
8. Slice the chicken and assemble bowls with couscous, vegetables, chicken, and yogurt sauce. Garnish with a squeeze of lemon and a drizzle of olive oil, if you'd like.

Notes

1. Harissa paste is a spicy condiment commonly used in the Middle East and North Africa. I find it at Trader Joe's, but many well-stocked grocery stores carry it. You can also use sriracha or chili crunch instead.
2. You can use full-fat or non-fat yogurt here. Also, the harissa in the yogurt sauce is optional if you'd like to bump up the heat a little.
3. You can definitly use bone-in chicken thighs here. Just add a few extra minutes to the roasting time. You can also use breasts, but the flavor probably won't be as good if they're thick unless you marinate them for a long time.
4. The size of the vegetables is important here. Chicken thighs are more forgiving than thighs when roasting, but you'll want the vegetables to be finished around the same time as the chicken. I use pre-cut butternut squash, but cut them a little smaller. You can swap out other vegetables, but they need to be able to roast in 20 minutes. Sweet potatoes and other root vegetables around that size will work well.

Nutrition Information

Yield 4 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 783Total Fat 41gSaturated Fat 10gUnsaturated Fat 32gCholesterol 224mgSodium 1323mgCarbohydrates 62gFiber 10gSugar 13gProtein 50g

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

This post may contain affiliate links. Any purchases made by using these links won't cost you any extra and helps keep my content free. These links may be Amazon links as I am part of the Amazon Associate Program.

The post Sheet Pan Harissa Chicken Thighs with Roasted Carrots, Butternut, and Garlic Yogurt Sauce appeared first on Perry's Plate.

Flattening the bird helps everything cook evenly, so the breast stays tender and the dark meat finishes perfectly. It’s easier to roast, easier to carve, and way more forgiving than the traditional whole-bird method.

Once you try it, you’ll never go back. It turns an intimidating project into a confident, no-big-deal kind of dinner.

What is Spatchcocking?

Spatchcock is such a weird word. Basically it's cutting the backbone out of a chicken (or turkey or any other bird you'd eat).

If you cut the backbone out it allows the bird to lay flat. Flat birds cook quicker and more evenly.

Ever grilled a whole chicken? If so, then spatchcocking is your best friend.

Recommended Tools For Spatchcocking

First, you need a REALLY good pair of kitchen shears. Or a really sharp kitchen knife.

I have a pair of Cutco shears. You know, the ones that cut through pennies. And I still have to use both hands to break through the bones.

Maybe get some earplugs, too? Like i mentioned earlier, this isn't a pleasant task for those who don't like raw meat.

I'm really selling this, aren't I?

How to Spatchcock a Chicken

1. Remove the packaging and organ pouch from a whole chicken. I like to save the organ pouch to throw into my bone broth pot. If you’re not into organ meats, feel free to discard it. Lay the chicken breast-side down on a cutting board.
2. Using a pair of very sturdy, sharp kitchen shears or a sharp knife, begin cutting slightly to the right of the backbone. Cut all the way up to the neck. If you’re cutting too close to the backbone it’ll be more difficult.
3. Repeat on the other side of the backbone, cutting all the way up to the neck. Remove the backbone and discard it or save it for broth-making later!
4. Open up the carcass and trim any excess fatty pieces, if you prefer.
5. Flip the chicken over and using the palm of your hand on the breast bone, press firmly until you hear the cracking sound of the bone splitting. (Gross, I know. This flattens out the chicken which is the whole point of this method.)
6. At this point your chicken is ready for prep! You can wrap it and tuck it away in the fridge for a couple of days or throw a marinade/spice rub on it or toss it on your smoker.

Here's a helpful video that shows you how quick and (relatively) easy it is!

How Long to Cook a Spatchcock Chicken

You can cook a spatchcocked chicken in all the ways you can cook a regular whole chicken. Here are some cook times for you. Times will vary a bit depending on the weight of your chicken, so be sure to use a meat thermometer and bring it up to 160F.

Oven: 400-425F for 40-55 min

Grill: Indirect heat for 30-35 min, and then direct heat for about 5 minutes at the end to crisp it up.

Smoker: I prefer to do it on a lower temp, like 225F for 2.5-3 hours. If you increase the temp it’l shorten the cook time.

Why Spatchcock a Chicken?

1. More even cooking. Since the heat doesn’t have to penetrate through such a thick mass it doesn’t overcook the thinner parts while waiting for the thicker parts to roast.
2. Crispier skin. Because there’s more surface area for the skin to crisp up you get a really nice crispy brown coating over the entire inside AND outside of the chicken.
3. Faster cooking. Again, because the mass is smaller, it decreases cooking time as well. Faster roasted chicken is always a good thing.

How to Spatchcock a Turkey

The exact same way. Think of turkeys as really big roaster chickens.

See how the chicken lays flat? This is what I'm talking about. It's so much easier to cook this way.

Spatchcocking Tips

Don't throw away that backbone! Save it and make some Instant Pot Chicken Bone Broth when you're finished with the chicken. (That recipe works for turkeys, too! Just divide the bones into two batches depending on the size of your Instant Pot.)

Now that you've got your bird ready, use my recipe -- How to Roast a Chicken or Smoked Whole Chicken for the easiest way to get the best flavor out of your bird with the least amount of effort.

If you have a turkey, try Dry Brined Turkey this Thanksgiving! You can even spatchcock it and smoke it -- just keep an eye on that internal temperature!

What are common Spatchcocking mistakes?

Spatchcocking isn’t difficult, but you need to watch what you’re doing. I included lots of pics in this post! Be aware of these common mistakes:

1. Using a dull knife. Please PLEASE sharpen your knife or use a really sturdy pair of kitchen shears.
2. Cutting the breast bone instead of the backbone. Honestly, the breast bone would be more difficult. Flip that bird on it’s stomach!
3. Not flatting it out all the way. After you cut the backbone out, flip her over and press the palm of your hand on the breast bone and press firmly until you hear a crack and the bird flattens out more. This will help it cook more evenly.

Serving Spatchcocked Chicken

I love serving this chicken with these sides:

Spring Mix Salad Recipe with Raspberry Vinaigrette

Cucumber Tomato Salad with Feta

Sweet Potato Fries

Wild Rice Salad with Cucumber and Pesto

Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes or Cauliflower Puree

Southwestern Coleslaw

Spatchcocking FAQs

If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

Spatchcocked Chicken

Yield: 1 chicken

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Spatchcocking is a fancy word for cutting the backbone out of a chicken or a turkey. Why bother? Cutting out the backbone allows the bird to lay flat for quicker and more even cooking. This is especially helpful if you're grilling.

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Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken or turkey, organ sack removed
• A pair of super sharp kitchen shears or a sharp, sturdy knife

Instructions

1. Place the bird on a flat, sturdy surface. Like a cutting board that won't slide around.
2. Flip the bird over so it is laying breast-side down. Locate the base of the backbone at the cavity opening.
3. Use your kitchen shears (or a really sharp knife) to cut slightly to the right of the backbone. You might need both hands to close your kitchen shears. Cutting through ribs is no joke.
4. Do this for the left side of the backbone. Cut any skin or fat so the backbone comes out completely.
5. Your chicken or turkey is ready to prep for roasting! Or grilling. Or smoking.

Notes

1. Save that backbone (and the rest of the bird carcass) to make some Instant Pot Chicken Bone Broth! You can use this recipe for turkey broth as well -- you'll just have to split the turkey carcass into two batches of broth.
2. For tips on roasting a whole chicken: How to Roast a Whole Chicken (the easy way)
3. For tips on smoking a whole chicken on a pellet grill: Smoked Whole Chicken

The post How to Spatchcock a Chicken appeared first on Perry's Plate.

First, if you’re new to smoking meat or recently bought a Traeger or a CampChef grill you might be intimidated by the smoker itself. I’ll show you the settings and give you the tricks to getting this bird to turn out well.

Second, let’s not overcomplicate this chicken with fancy rubs or marinades. The smoke will do the majority of the work for you! You’ll see how easy I have made this recipe, and you’ll feel like a superstar for nailing a smoked chicken.

TIP: The best way to get a lot of flavor into the chicken is to let it sit with the seasonings for several hours before you cook it. I've found this to be more important than the actual seasonings you use. This works for roasted chickens and also for turkeys. It's similar to dry-brining.

Smoked Whole Chicken Ingredients

• Whole chicken
• Kosher salt or coarse sea salt
• Coarsely ground black pepper

What kind of pellets are good for smoked whole chicken?

I like to use applewood.

If you want a stronger smoky flavor, try using hickory or a blend. I like CampChef's pellets the best and use their Competition blend quite often.

How to Smoke a Whole Chicken

1. The day before (or early morning the day of) you plan to smoke the chicken, prep it for the fridge. Combine the salt and pepper in a small bowl and set it next to your work area.
2. Place the chicken on a large rimmed sheet pan or baking dish. Remove any packaging from the chicken any organs or the little white bag from inside the chicken cavity.
3. If you choose to spatchcock the chicken (cut out the back bone so it lays flat), do this now. Rub ALL of the salt and pepper mixture all over the outside of the chicken.
4. Place the chicken UNCOVERED in the fridge for at least 8 and up to 24 hours before cooking.
5. When it's time to cook, remove the chicken from the fridge and let it sit on your kitchen counter until your smoker has preheated. Preheat it to 220°F (105°C) and high smoke (if you have that option).
6. Insert a thermometer into your chicken into the thickest part of the breast area, but don't stick it clear down to the bone. Attach the thermometer to your smoker.
7. Smoke the chicken for an hour at 220°F, covered. Then turn the temperature up to 350°F (180°C) and continue to cook the chicken until the thermometer read out says 160-165°F (70°C). This should take anywhere from 45-75 minutes depending on the size of your chicken and how well your smoker holds the temperature. Spatchcocking a chicken will help it cook faster, too.
8. Transfer your chicken to a large cutting board and let it rest for at least 10-15 minutes before slicing it -- otherwise the juices will run out all over and the chicken will be more dry.
9. Carve up the chicken how you like and serve immediately.

How Long to Smoke a Whole Chicken

The way I do it takes roughly 2 hours. So not terribly long. And not as big of a commitment as smoking a brisket.

I start off by smoking it for an hour at a lower temperature (lower temperatures have more smoke output). And then finished it off at a higher temp.

You could tinker with the smoking times, too, if you wanted to let it smoke longer at that lower temp.

See how evenly this smoked whole chicken has browned? I'm blown away at how gorgeous they come out of our smoker. Much better than our mediocre oven for sure.

If you have any other questions about smoking a chicken, leave a comment below and I'd be happy to help!

Can I use this recipe to smoke a turkey?

YES! Absolutely.

I'd allow for a longer time for the turkey to sit in the fridge to dry out -- probably 24-48 hours.

The smoking times would be longer as well and would vary depending on the size of your turkey. Plan for 30-40 minutes per pound at 220F.

SMOKING TIME & TEMPERATURE

Because whole chicken vary in size and weight (anywhere from 3-5 pounds!) it’s always good to cook by temperature instead of strictly by time. That being said, these cooking times and temps should give you a place to start from, but add/subtract time if needed as you keep an eye on your thermometer.

All temps and times should aim for about 160F internal temperature allowing time for rest afterward so the residual heat can finish off the cooking a few degrees and your bird won’t dry out.

Low heat (225F): 3-5 hours

Medium heat (250-275F): 2-3 hours

High heat (325-375F): 1-1.5 hours

Tips for Smoking a Whole Chicken

Make sure to let the chicken sit with the seasonings for at least 8 hours before cooking it for maximum flavor and crispy skin, as this process acts like a dry brine.

How to serve a Whole Smoked Chicken

I love serving this chicken with these sides:

• Cabbage Slaw With Cucumber Yogurt Dressing
• Sweet Potato Fries
• Wild Rice Salad with Cucumber and Pesto
• Instant Pot Potato Salad
• Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes or Cauliflower Puree
• Southwestern Coleslaw

Storing a Smoked Whole Chicken

I highly recommend eating the whole chicken if you can since it’s best fresh out of the smoker. If you have leftovers you’d like to store, just put it in an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

More Whole Chicken Recipes on Perry's Plate

If you'd rather stick to oven roasting, check out my tutorial on How to Roast a Chicken the Easy Way.

Have some leftover chicken? Make The Best Instant Pot Chicken Soup! Smoked chicken is super tasty in chicken soup.

Once you've cleaned those bones, don't throw them out! Here's my favorite way to make homemade chicken bone broth: Instant Pot Chicken Bone Broth.

If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

Smoked Whole Chicken Recipe FAQs

More From Perry's Plate

Smoked Whole Chicken Recipe

Yield: Serves 6

Prep Time: 18 hours

Cook Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 20 hours

Smoked Whole Chickens are SO tasty. Smoking them in a pellet grill/smoker has been a game changer for us. Loads of flavor and always juicy and falling off the bones!

It may seem like this recipe takes forever, but most of that time is non-active. The overnight rest in the fridge before you smoke it helps the chicken to absorb all of the seasoning and allows the skin to dry out so it's nice and crispy when you cook it. It's worth planning ahead!

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Ingredients

• 1 3-5 pound whole chicken
• 1 Tablespoon Kosher salt or coarse sea salt
• 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

Instructions

1. The day before (or early morning the day of) you plan to smoke the chicken, prep it for the fridge. Combine the salt and pepper in a small bowl and set it next to your work area.
2. Place the chicken on a large rimmed sheet pan or baking dish. Remove any packaging from the chicken any organs or the little white bag from inside the chicken cavity.
3. If you choose to spatchcock the chicken (cut out the back bone so it lays flat), do this now. Rub ALL of the salt and pepper mixture all over the outside of the chicken.
4. Place the chicken UNCOVERED in the fridge for at least 8 and up to 24 hours before cooking.
5. When it's time to cook, remove the chicken from the fridge and let it sit on your kitchen counter until your smoker has preheated. Preheat it to 220 degrees F and high smoke (if you have that option).
6. Insert a thermometer into your chicken into the thickest part of the breast area, but don't stick it clear down to the bone. Attach the thermometer to your smoker.
7. Smoke the chicken for an hour at 220, covered. Then turn the temperature up to 350 degrees and continue to cook the chicken until the thermometer read out says 160-165 degrees F. This should take anywhere from 45-75 minutes depending on the size of your chicken and how well your smoker holds the temperature. Spatchcocking a chicken will help it cook faster, too.
8. Transfer your chicken to a large cutting board and let it rest for at least 10-15 minutes before slicing it -- otherwise the juices will run out all over and the chicken will be more dry.
9. Carve up the chicken how you like and serve immediately.

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The post Smoked Whole Chicken appeared first on Perry's Plate.

We didn't have any buns on hand, so I toasted some rustic sourdough bread. I'd rather have that than a bun any day.

Thai Peanut Turkey Burgers

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Ingredients

• 8 oz ground turkey
• 1 medium carrot, shredded
• 1 large scallion, minced
• ¼ teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce
• 2 tablespoon natural peanut butter
• freshly ground salt & pepper
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• 2 tablespoon light mayonnaise
• handful of cilantro, finely minced
• 1-2 teaspoon chili garlic sauce
• hamburger buns of your choice
• mixed greens

Instructions

Combine burger ingredients a mixing bowl and combine thoroughly. Using your fingers to gently blend the mixture together works best. Try not to squeeze everything through your fingers.

Heat a skillet, grill pan or outdoor grill over medium-high heat. Form the turkey mixture into two, tightly-packed patties. Cook for about 7-10 minutes per side, until cooked through.

In a small bowl combine mayonnaise, cilantro and 1-2 teaspoon chili garlic sauce. Serve burgers on buns with cilantro-chili mayo and greens.

The post Thai Peanut Turkey Burgers appeared first on Perry's Plate.