John Torode's speedy spatchcock chicken
It's the ideal way to feed a family - John Torode's taking a Sunday staple and turning it on its head for a speedy midweek feast. His spatchcock chicken roasts in less than half the time, flavored with yoghurt and spice it makes for a delicious sharing feast for the family.
Summer Spatchcock Chicken
Serves: 6
Ingredients
For the chicken:
1 Whole spatchcocked chicken
10 cloves of garlic
1 tbsp of salt (preferably flaked)
2 lemons juiced
1 large tub of natural yoghurt
1 jar madras curry paste
2 large onions, peeled
To Serve:
Bunch of coriander
3 green chillies chopped
For The Flatbread:
250g Self Raising Flour
1tsp Baking powder
250g Yoghurt
1tblespoon olive oil
50-75ml cold water
For the cucumber salad:
1 large cucumber or 4 small ones
1-2 small green chillies, diced
2 large spring onions
A good handful of fresh coriander
Good pinch of salt
1/2 tsp chilli flakes optional
100mls rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Green chilli chutney:
Small bunch of mint
Bunch or coriander
3 green chillies (Not too big )
½ tsp Garam Marsala, roasted
lemon Juice
Cayenne pepper
Salt
1 small shallot, chopped
Method
For the chicken:
1. Take the spatchcocked chicken and using a sharp knife, score the skin, lay the chicken out flat in a large dish ready to marinade.
2. Crush the garlic and mix with the salt and 100ml of olive oil and all the lemon juice. Rub the chicken well and leave for an hour or so.
3. In a bowl mix the yoghurt and the curry paste and add a good squeeze of lemon, Stir well.
4. Rub the chicken all over with the yoghurt mix and leave in the fridge overnight if you can if not that’s ok
5. Preheat the oven to 200oc
6. Place the quartered onions into a large roasting tin, lay the chicken on top
7. Pop into the oven and cook for 50minutes or cook on a BBQ .
8. If cooking on a BBQ, place the marinated chicken over hot coals and give them a good blast of heat, then turn after 2 minutes, lift them a little higher away from the heat and cook for 15 minutes or so, turning often.
9. Take from the heat and place in a large flat serving dish, sprinkle with the olive and scatter with chopped green chillies and coriander
For the flatbread:
1. Mix the flour with the baking powder and add the yoghurt, olive oil and a little water to form a dough. You will need to add the water little by little as you may only need a splash.
2. Roll into 6 balls and rest for 30 minutes.
3. Press flat and roll out really thin then cook in a dry pan or over a low flame until puffed and coloured.
For the cucumber salad:
1. Wash the cucumber. Cut off both ends and discard.
2. Use a peeler to remove half the peel
3. Cut the cucumber lengthwise and then each half in half again and then each quarter into 4 on an angle. Place on a bench and place a large board on top and squash down lightly.
4. Slice the spring onions and dice the chilli , pick the coriander and then mix all the salad ingredients in a large bowl.
For the green chilli chutney:
1. Place all the ingredients in a food processor & blend.