Portuguese Butterflied Chicken (May 2021 – Issue 2)
Source: The Australian’s Women’s Weekly
Prep + Cook Time: 1 hour
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS:
- 2kg whole Chicken
- 60g soft Butter
- 1 teaspoon sweet Paprika
- ¼ teaspoon ground hot Chillies
- 3 cloves Garlic, chopped finely
- 2 tablespoons Flat-Leaf Parsley, chopped finely
- 1 Lemon
- 4 (500g) thick Carrots, cut into 3cm slices
- 2 medium (340g) Red Onions, quartered with the base intact
- 4 medium (500g) Zucchinis, cut into 3cm slices
- 1 bunch Broccolini, cut in half lengthways
- ¼ cup (60ml) Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Peri-peri sauce, for serving
METHOD:
- Preheat a covered barbecue with the lid closed to 200°C.
- To butterfly the chicken, use a sharp knife or kitchen scissors to cut down either side of the backbone; remove the backbone. Open the chicken out flat. Pat chicken dry with paper towel.
- Turn the chicken over and, starting at the neck end, insert your fingers between the skin and flesh of the breast and over thighs and drumsticks to separate.
- Mix the butter in a small bowl with the paprika, chilli, garlic and parsley. Grate the rind from the lemon; add to the bowl with salt and pepper. Spread the butter mixture under the skin and over the drumsticks, thighs and breast.
- Cut the lemon in half and place cut-side down in a baking dish. Place the chicken on top of the lemon. Turn the middle burners of the barbecue off if a 6-burner, or the side ones off if a 4-burner and place the baking dish on the part of the barbecue where the burners are off. Roast with the hood down for 45-50 minutes or until the skin is richly golden and chicken is cooked through. Carefully remove the chicken and lemon from the pan. Place the chicken on a platter; cover with foil to rest before carving.
- While the chicken is cooking, place the vegetables on the direct-heat part of the barbecue with a generous drizzle of oil. Turn once or twice during cooking and remove when cooked through. Cover to keep warm.
- While the chicken is resting, drizzle the vegetables with any pan juices in the roasting pan. Serve with peri-peri sauce.
The chillies can be adjusted up or down according to your taste.
The butter mixture is suitable to freeze and is not suitable to microwave.