Spatchcock Chicken with Spinach & Feta Smash

Total: 1 hr 30 mins

Succulent oven-roasted or smokily barbecued organic spatchcock chicken served with a smashing side of spinach and savoury feta cheese folded with crisp red onion, garlic and plenty of zingy lemon zest.

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648 kcal
(per portion)

Ingredients you'll need

2½5kg avg spatchcock chicken
150g baby leaf spinach
180g feta
1½ red onion
1½ garlic clove
1½ lemon

From your kitchen

Sea salt
Freshly ground pepper

You'll need

Roasting tin
Barbecue (optional)

Step by step this way

1.
Get started: Take the chicken out of the fridge 30 mins before cooking to let it to come to room temperature.
2.
Cooking indoors: Preheat your oven to 180°C/Fan 160°C/Gas 4. Place the spatchcock chicken onto a large roasting tin, skin-side up. Rub the skin with salt and pepper and slide it into the oven to roast for 1 hr 15 mins.
3.
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 5-10 mins before checking again. When cooked, lift the chicken out onto a plate or board, loosely cover with foil and rest for 20 mins.
4.
While the chicken rests, fill and boil your kettle. Pop the baby leaf spinach into a large heatproof bowl, pour over enough boiling water to cover it and let it wilt for 2 mins. Drain the spinach and allow it to cool slightly, then squeeze out as much water as possible. Finely chop the spinach leaves and tip them into a bowl.
5.
Crumble the feta into the bowl with the spinach. Peel and finely chop the red onion and garlic and add both to the bowl. Zest and juice in the lemon. Stir well to mix.
6.
Carve the chicken and serve with the smashed spinach and feta on the side.
7.
Cooking outdoors: Light your barbecue and bring the coals to a medium temperature (see our tip, overleaf, on how to light your barbecue). Rub the skin of the chicken with a good pinch of salt and pepper.
8.
Place the chicken skin-side down over the hottest part of the barbecue and cook for 4-5 mins, or till coloured. Turn over and cook for 4-5 mins on the other side. Move the chicken to a cooler part of the barbecue and cook, with the lid on, for 1 hr 15 mins.
9.
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 5-10 mins before checking again. When cooked, lift the chicken off onto a plate or board, loosely cover with foil and rest for 20 mins.
10.
While the chicken rests, fill and boil your kettle. Pop the baby leaf spinach into a large heatproof bowl, pour over enough boiling water to cover it and let it wilt for 2 mins. Drain the spinach and allow it to cool slightly, then squeeze out as much water as possible. Finely chop the spinach leaves and tip them into a bowl.
11.
Crumble the feta into the spinach. Peel and finely chop the red onion and garlic and add both to the bowl. Zest and juice in the lemon. Stir well to mix.
12.
Carve the chicken and serve with the smashed spinach and feta on the side.

Tip
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.
Tip
Mountains of couscous
Serve your carved chicken with piles of tender, nutty couscous, a cherry tomato salad, and smoky wedges of cooked aubergine.

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