Peri-Peri Spatchcock Chicken with Yellow Rice

Ingredients

For 4 portions

• 🍗 1,600g chicken (raw, whole bird)
• 🌶️ 30g red chilli peppers
• 🧄 6 cloves garlic
• 🫑 2 Tsp smoked paprika
• 🌿 1 Tsp oregano
• 🍶 3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
• 🍋 3 Tbsp lemon juice
• 🏺 4 Tbsp olive oil
• 🧂 2 Tsp salt
• 🍚 300g white rice (dry)
• 🪴 1 Tsp turmeric
• 🧅 1 medium onions
• 🍗 1 cube chicken stock cube
• 🥤 600ml tap water
• 🍋 1 medium lemon

Method

1. Peri-peri sauce: blend the chillies (bird's-eye for real heat, or milder red chillies), garlic, smoked paprika, oregano, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and 1½ tsp of the salt until smooth. Set aside 3 tablespoons for serving.
2. Spatchcock the chicken: put it breast-side down and cut along both sides of the backbone with strong kitchen scissors. Remove the backbone, turn the chicken over and press firmly on the breastbone to flatten it.
3. Slash the thighs and drumsticks a few times, rub the sauce all over and under the skin, and marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight.
4. Heat the oven to 220 °C (200 °C fan). Put the chicken skin-side up on a rack over a roasting tray and roast for 45–50 minutes, basting once, until the skin is charred in places and the juices run clear when the thickest part of the thigh is pierced (75 °C inside). For extra char, finish under a hot grill or on a barbecue for 3–4 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, yellow rice: rinse the rice. Heat the remaining olive oil in a pan and soften the finely chopped onion for 5 minutes. Stir in the turmeric and rice for 1 minute, then add the water, the crumbled stock cube and the remaining salt. Boil, cover and cook on the lowest heat for 12 minutes. Rest, covered, for 5 minutes and fluff.
6. Rest the chicken for 10 minutes, then cut into quarters. Serve with the yellow rice, lemon wedges and the reserved peri-peri sauce.