Serves 4-6
Prep time 15 minutes
Cooking time approximately 50 minutes
ingredients
1 large chicken
100 ml Borderfields Cold Pressed Rapeseed Oil
A few sprigs of thyme and rosemary, leaves picked and roughly chopped
A few bay leaves, roughly torn
3 lemons
1 bulb of garlic, halved through the equator
AIOLI
3 free-range egg yolks
2 medium garlic cloves
Juice of ½ a lemon
150ml Borderfields cold-pressed rapeseed oil
1 tsp Dijon mustard
TO SERVE
1 bag rocket
method
To spatchcock the chicken place it breast-side down with the legs facing towards you. Using a pair of scissors, cut along the backbone and through the ribs, removing the backbone entirely. Flip the chicken back over and press down on the breastbone with the heel of your hand so that the chicken flattens out. (You can ask your butcher to do this.)
Preheat the oven to 220°C.
In a large bowl, combine the cold-pressed rapeseed oil with the zest and juice of one lemon, herbs and a large pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Add the chicken and rub over the marinade. Cover and put in the fridge for one hour.
Cut the remaining lemons into quarters and add, along with the garlic, to the chicken in a large roasting tray. Place in the pre-heated oven.
While the chicken is cooking, combine all the aioli ingredients in a bowl.
Roast for 45-50 minutes or until a digital meat thermometer reads 74°C (insert the digital probe into the thickest part of the meat, such as the breast or thigh, avoiding contact with the bones).
Serve the chicken dressed with rocket, roasted garlic, roasted lemons and a small bowl of aioli. Pour the meat juices into a jug to serve alongside.
ALIOLI METHOD
Blend the egg yolks, garlic cloves and lemon juice in a food processor, or with a stick blender. Pour the cold-pressed rapeseed oil into the running food processor in a steady stream until it forms a thick mayo … Add the mustard and 2 tbsp of hot water if you want your aioli runnier.
Serve with the spatchcocked chicken.
HINTS AND TIPS
This chicken dish can also be cooked on a barbecue.
