At long last, it looks like the lovely weather is going to stay with us and this is a perfect recipe for the May Bank Holiday from the legendary Australian cook Donna Hay.
Butterflying a chicken allows it to cook faster and more evenly. You can either use this method to cook a whole chicken, or two halves, or four quarters. The choice is yours!
This marinade is wonderfully smoky and spicy and the dressing is creamy, fresh and zingy. It's a perfect combination for a summer Sunday roast.
Serves 4 (or 2 if using half a chicken)
1.6kg chicken, butterflied (see step 2, below)
600g waxy potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
3 rosemary sprigs, finely chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
For the Peri Peri marinade
3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
½ tsp dried red chillies, crushed in a pestle and mortar
1 tbsp smoked paprika
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tbsp white wine vinegar (or red, if you prefer)
60ml olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the green chilli dressing
1 red finger chilli, deseeded and roughly chopped
2-3 green chillies, deseeded and roughly chopped
Handful of coriander (stalks and leaves)
½ tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
150g mayonnaise (I used Hellman's)
60g soured cream
1. Preheat the oven to 220C/Gas 7. To make the peri peri marinade, place the garlic, chilli, paprika, lemon juice, vinegar, oil, salt and pepper in a small food processor and whizz until smooth. Reserve until you've butterflied the chicken.
2. Here's how to do it. Position the bird breast-side down on a board, so that the back is facing up and the drumsticks are facing towards you. Using poultry shears, cut closely along either side of the backbone. Remove the bone and reserve to make stock for another recipe. Turn the chicken to that it is breast-side up and press down firmly on the breastbone to flatten the bird. You can then cut through the breast-bone to make two halves, and then through the joint that connects the breast to the leg, as I've done.
3. Reserve 60ml of the marinade and rub the rest all over the chicken, massaging in with your hands (though I got my nine-year-old son to do this!) Set aside.
4. Place the potatoes, rosemary, oil, salt and pepper in a bowl and toss to coat. Spread the potatoes evenly on a separate baking tray lined with parchment. Place the chicken and potatoes in the oven and roast for 15 mins.
5. Turn the chicken skin-side up and roast for a further 20 mins, brushing with the reserved marinade a couple of times, or until the chicken and potatoes are cooked through.
6. While the chicken and potatoes are cooking, make the green chilli dressing. Place the chillies, coriander, oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a small food processor and whiz to a smooth paste. Add the mayonnaise and soured cream and process until just combined.
7. Serve the chicken with potatoes with a salad of rocket, watercress and pea shoots, drizzled with the green chilli dressing.
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