To spatchcock means to remove the backbone and lay the chicken out flat. You do need a good pair 
of kitchen scissors to do this, but it means that the chicken cooks in half the time a normal roast chicken would take. Chickens do vary in size, so make sure that you check that the chicken is cooked. Insert a knife or skewer into the fattest part of the thigh, if the juices run clear, the chicken is cooked through. If any blood comes out, return it to the oven for another 10-15 minutes, then check again.

Ingredients

• 150ml 0% fat natural yoghurt
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• 3 large garlic cloves, finely grated or crushed
• 5cm piece ginger, peeled and finely grated
• Half a tsp cumin seeds
• Quarter of a tsp ground coriander
• Half a red chilli, seeded and finely chopped
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 medium whole chicken

Ingredients for salad

• 2 heads little gem, leaves separated
• 1 red onion, sliced
• 100g radishes, thickly sliced
• Half a cucumber, thinly sliced
• 80g rocket
• 40g mango chutney

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C, fan 180°C, gas mark 6.
2. Tip the yoghurt into a small bowl, then add the lemon zest and juice, garlic, ginger, cumin seeds, ground coriander and red chilli and mix together really well. Add plenty of black pepper and mix once more then set aside.
3. Place the chicken, breast side down, onto a chopping board. Using sharp heavy duty scissors, cut through the flesh and bone along both sides of the backbone about 5cm/ 2 " wide. Cut from the tail end to the head end then lift out the backbone. Place the chicken flesh side down onto the board and press as flat as possible.
4. Transfer to a baking tray, skin side up, and cut several slashes into the breast and legs. Spoon half the marinade over the top, rubbing into the slashes, then pour the remaining marinade over.
5. Place in the oven to roast for 45-50 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
6. While the chicken is cooks, prepare the salad. Simply toss the little gem, red onion, radishes, cucumber and rocket together in a bowl.
7. Serve the chicken with the salad and a dollop of mango chutney alongside.

Ready in about 1 hour
Serves 4

You can find more great recipes just like this one in our Taste! cookbook. Visit our online shop to get your copy.