- 2½5kg av. spatchcock chicken
- 1½ garlic bulb
- A handful of dill
- 1½ lemon
- A handful of flat leaf parsley
- 225g Greek style yogurt
- Sea salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1.
Get started: Remove the chicken from your fridge 30 mins before cooking, to come up to room temperature.
- 2.
Cooking indoors: Heat your oven to 180°C/Fan 160°C/Gas 4. Place the spatchcock chicken skin-side-up into a large roasting tin. Rub the skin with a good pinch of salt and pepper and 1 tbsp olive oil.
- 3.
Slide the chicken into the oven and roast for 20 mins. Remove the roasting tin from the oven and pop the bulb of garlic to one side of the chicken. Return to the oven for a further 40 mins.
- 4.
To check if the chicken is cooked through, insert a skewer into the thickest part of the thigh. The juices should run clear. If it needs a little longer, return the chicken to the oven for a further 5-10 mins before checking again. Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate or board and rest for 20 mins before carving.
- 5.
While the chicken is resting, make the yogurt sauce. Carefully separate the cloves of the roasted garlic and squeeze the soft flesh out of the skins. Finely chop the garlic, dill and parsley and slide into a bowl. Grate in the lemon zest and juice, along with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Stir in the yogurt till well combined.
- 6.
Portion the chicken and serve on a platter, with generous dollops of the garlic herb yogurt.
- 7.
Cooking outdoors: Light your barbecue and bring the coals to a medium temperature.
- 8.
Place the chicken skin side down over the hottest part of the bbq and cook for 4-5 mins, or till well coloured. Flip over and cook for a further 4-5 mins. Transfer the chicken to a cooler part of the barbecue and cook with the lid on for 1 hr.
- 9.
Wrap the garlic bulb loosely with 2 layers of foil. Pop to one side of the chicken and gently grill for 40 mins.
- 10.
To check if the chicken is cooked through, insert a skewer into the thickest part of the thigh. The juices should run clear. If it needs a little longer, return the chicken to the barbecue for a further 5-10 mins before checking again. Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate or board and rest for 20 mins before carving.
- 11.
While the chicken is resting, make the yogurt sauce. Carefully separate the cloves of the roasted garlic and squeeze the soft flesh out of the skins. Finely chop the garlic and parsley and slide into a bowl. Grate in the lemon zest and juice, along with the dijon mustard and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Stir in the yogurt till well combined.
- 12.
Portion the chicken and serve on a platter, with generous dollops of the garlic herb yogurt.
- 13.
Know your grill: When lighting your barbecue, lay the bulk of your coals to one side, gently sloping 3/4 of the way to the other side. This helps to regulate the heat, giving you fierce 'direct' heat to brown your meat over, and gently 'indirect' heat to slowly finish it off.
- 14.
Crispy skin vs juicy breast Secretly not so fussed about crispy chicken skin? Once your chicken has cooked, lay the chicken breast side down on a plate to rest. All of the lovely roasting juices will flow back into the meat, which will be extra succulent when carved.
- 15.
Next week in the Summer Roast Box: Fennel and rosemary crusted ribs. The Italians sure know how to cook a pig, and these ribs are rubbed with a Tuscan inspired medley of rosemary, fennel, garlic and chilli and roasted til tender.
- 16.
UK stone fruit season is upon us, and we are blessed with an abundance of apricots, nectarines and peaches. Try halving and adding to the grill next to your pork till deliciously charred, before tossing with fresh herbs, olive oil and citrus juice.
- 17.
