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This Garlic Herb Butter Spatchcocked Turkey is the fastest, most reliable way to cook a whole bird. Removing the backbone and pressing the turkey flat means it roasts in about 90 minutes instead of 3 to 4 hours, with crisp golden skin and juicy meat from the breast to the thighs.
A turkey is the most expensive thing on the Thanksgiving table, and with grocery prices where they are, nobody wants to dry it out. Flattening the bird lets the white and dark meat finish at the same time, which is the whole secret to a turkey that isn’t overcooked.
You don’t need a roasting pan or any special equipment. A pair of sturdy poultry shears, a rimmed sheet pan and an instant-read thermometer are all it takes.
It also frees up your oven for hours, which makes the rest of Thanksgiving dinner much easier to time.
Ingredients and Swaps
- Turkey: A 12–14 pound bird, fully thawed. Allow about 24 hours in the fridge for every 4–5 pounds.
- Herb butter: Softened butter with garlic, thyme, rosemary, sage and paprika. Fresh herbs can replace dried at three times the amount.
- Kosher salt: Seasons the meat and helps crisp the skin.
- Onions, celery and broth: They go under the turkey and become the base for gravy.
Tips for a Spatchcocked Turkey
- Use sturdy shears. Poultry shears cut through the rib bones along the backbone. If it’s a struggle, ask the butcher to do it.
- Press it flat. Push down hard on the breastbone until it cracks and the bird lies flat.
- Dry the skin. Pat it very dry, and if you have time, leave it uncovered in the fridge overnight.
- Butter under the skin. Spread some of the herb butter directly on the breast meat.
- Go by temperature. The turkey is done at 165°F in the thickest part of the breast and thigh. Rest it for 20 minutes before carving.
Prices are from Walmart’s and ALDI’s websites for stores in Columbus, Ohio, checked in October 2026. Ohio’s grocery prices are within about 1% of the national average, so you may pay more or less depending on where you live, and prices change often. Here’s how we price our recipes.
Cost: Ingredients – $16.81 from Walmart, $16.34 from ALDI · Per Serving – $1.63 to $1.68
Garlic Herb Butter Spatchcocked Turkey
Ingredients
Method
- Remove the giblets and neck and pat the turkey dry. Place it breast-side down on a cutting board. Using sturdy poultry shears, cut along both sides of the backbone and remove it.
- Flip the turkey breast-side up and press down firmly on the breastbone until it cracks and the turkey lies flat. Tuck the wing tips behind the breast.
- Season all over with the salt and pepper. If you have time, refrigerate uncovered overnight for crisper skin.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Mix the butter, garlic, thyme, rosemary, sage and paprika. Loosen the skin over the breast and thighs and rub half the butter underneath, then rub the rest over the skin.
- Spread the onions and celery on a large rimmed sheet pan and pour in the broth. Set a wire rack on top (or lay the turkey directly on the vegetables) and place the turkey on it, skin-side up.
- Roast for 1¼ to 1½ hours, until an instant-read thermometer reads 165°F in the thickest part of the breast and the thigh. Tent loosely with foil if the skin browns too quickly.
- Rest for 20–30 minutes before carving. Use the pan drippings for gravy.
Notes
- Make sure the turkey is completely thawed. Allow about 24 hours in the fridge for every 4–5 pounds.
- If the backbone is hard to cut, ask the butcher at your grocery store to spatchcock the turkey for you.
- A 12–14 pound turkey fits on a standard half sheet pan. Larger birds may need a bigger pan.
- Add a splash more broth to the pan if the drippings start to scorch.
Make-Ahead & Storage Tips
- Spatchcock and salt the turkey up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerate it uncovered on the sheet pan. The skin dries out and roasts up extra crisp.
- Save the backbone for homemade stock or to enrich the gravy.
- Refrigerate leftover turkey within 2 hours. It keeps for 3–4 days.
- Freeze sliced turkey in freezer bags with a splash of broth for up to 3 months.
Spatchcocked Turkey Questions
Why spatchcock a turkey?
A flattened turkey cooks in about half the time, and the dark and white meat finish together, so the breast doesn’t dry out waiting for the thighs.
What should I serve with it?
Creamy Mashed Potatoes, Cornbread Sausage Stuffing, Honey Garlic Roasted Carrots, Cranberry Sauce and Traditional Gravy.
Would a traditional roast be easier?
It’s less work up front and takes longer in the oven. See Roasted Whole Turkey with Herbs.
