Servings: 6people approximately (depending on chicken size)
Ingredients
1wholechicken1.5-2kg in size
1/3cupextra virgin olive oil
3-4clovesgarlicdepending on size*
2-4tspchilli flakes- add the larger quantity if you like it spicy
2tbsphoney
2lemons
salt and pepperto season
Instructions
Preheat oven to 180˚C.
Peel and finely chop the garlic, or crush in a garlic press. Combine the olive oil, honey, garlic and chilli flakes in a small bowl. Cut one lemon in half and squeeze all the juice into the bowl (reserve the juiced lemon pieces). Add a pinch of salt and pepper and stir it all together.
Cut the juiced lemon pieces and the second lemon into thick chunks.
"Spatchcock" (i.e. butterfly) your chicken if it hasn't been done so already. In brief, this involves cutting in to the chicken along either side of the backbone, removing the backbone, and then flattening it.
Place the flattened chicken, skin side up, into the roasting tray. Pour the olive oil mixture all over the chicken, then use your fingers to massage it in all over the bird. Then, arrange the lemon pieces in the tray around/on top of/underneath the chicken.
Roast chicken until juices run clear and the skin of the chicken is starting to caramelise/blacken. For a 1.5kg chicken this will take about 1 hour and 10 minutes, for a 2kg chicken add up to half an hour of cooking time.
Serve with sides of your choice; steamed greens topped with toasted almonds and sweet potato mash is lovely.
Notes
*I have made this recipe substituting minced garlic (from a jar) in for fresh garlic when I haven't had any. It works fine! Use 3-4 tsp minced garlic.
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