Thyme and lemon spatchcock chicken
Spatchcocking a chicken reduces the roasting time so it’s ideal on busy days. This thyme and lemon spatchcock chicken is classic recipe, a family favourite, so I make it quite often. I normally serve it with mashed potatoes and a salad, but steamed and roasted veggies would go well with it too.
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180°C.
- Using sharp kitchen scissors, cut the chicken along the backbone. (You can remove the backbone, if preferred). Flatten the chicken by placing it skin-side up on a cutting board and pushing down the breastbone. Make small incisions in the legs.
- Grate the lemon zest then cut the lemon in half and juice it. Then cut the lemon into rings.
- Mix the garlic with the butter or margarine and the leaves of 4 sprigs of thyme. Add the lemon zest, half of the juice, then salt and pepper.
- Rub the chicken all over with this mixture, then under the skin and push some into the cuts too.
- Put the lemon rings on top of a rack, add the remaining thyme sprigs. Place the chicken on top.
- Put the rack in a roasting tray and add some white wine or chicken stock. Add the onion halves.
- Roast in the middle of the oven for 40 minutes, basting it regularly. Pour over the remaining lemon juice and roast for another 5-10 minutes or until the skin is golden and the chicken has cooked through (the juices should run clear when pierced with a knife).
- Rest the chicken while you make gravy from the jus.
- Carve the chicken and serve with the gravy and side dishes of your choice.