Spatchcocking means to split open and flatten out a bird. Flavour your chicken with lemon and maple syrup and serve alongside a simple Caesar salad, simple and delicious.
Ingredients
- For the spatchcocked roasted chicken
- 1 x 2kg/2lb 4oz free-range
chicken - 3 tbsp
maple syrup - 1
lemon, juice only - 2 tbsp
wholegrain mustard - 4 sprigs fresh
thyme, leaves only - salt and freshly ground
black pepper
- 1 x 2kg/2lb 4oz free-range
- For the Caesar salad
- 1 head
garlic, top sliced off, remaining bulb wrapped in aluminium foil - 75ml/3fl oz
white wine - 2 tbsp Chardonnay
vinegar - 2 tsp
Dijon mustard - 2 free-range
egg yolks - ½ tsp
Worcestershire sauce - 75g/3oz
parmesan, grated - 150ml/5fl oz
rapeseed oil - salt and freshly ground
black pepper - 2 thick slices good quality
bread, cut into 2cm/1in cubes - 2 tbsp extra virgin
olive oil - 2 sprigs fresh
rosemary, leaves only, finely chopped - 1 head romaine
lettuce, roughly chopped
- 1 head
Preparation method
Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
For the spatchcocked chicken, place the chicken, breast-side down, onto a chopping board. Using good kitchen scissors cut through the flesh and bone along both sides of the backbone from the tail end to the head end and completely remove the backbone. Place the chicken, breast-side down, onto a roasting tray and press it down as flat as possible. Once the chicken is flattened out, turn it breast side up in the roasting tray.
When the garlic bulb is cool enough to handle, remove the foil and squeeze the roasted garlic into a small food processor.
Add the white wine, Chardonnay vinegar, mustard, egg yolks, Worcestershire sauce and parmesan to the food processor and blend to a fine purée. Gradually add the rapeseed oil in a slow steady stream, blending continuously, until the dressing thickens and emulsifies. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Mix the bread cubes in a bowl with the olive oil, rosemary, salt and freshly ground black pepper until well coated. Fry the bread cubes, in batches, in a frying pan over a high heat for 2-3 minutes, turning frequently, until golden-brown and crisp.
To serve, carve the chicken into pieces and divide among 4-6 plates. Mix the romaine lettuce with the hot crôutons and a drizzle of Caesar dressing, then pile immediately onto the plates alongside the chicken. Add more dressing to taste.