Spiced yogurt spatchcock chicken

Spatchcocked chicken is ideal for the barbecue as it cooks quickly and evenly - marinate in yogurt, coconut and spices for extra kick

Method

Pop the chicken in a large dish and slash the legs a few times with a sharp knife. Mix together the lemon juice, chilli powder and 1 tsp salt. Pour this over the chicken, turning so that it coats both sides. Cover with cling film and chill for 1 hr. Meanwhile, whizz the remaining ingredients (except the oil) and some black pepper in a blender until smooth.

Remove the chicken from the fridge and spoon over the spicy paste, making sure it covers both sides. Chill for at least 4 hrs, preferably overnight.

Light a lidded barbecue and let the flames die down. Once the coals have turned ashen, mound them up on one side. Drizzle the skin of the chicken with the oil and place, skin-side down, on the side of the barbecue with the coals underneath. Cover with the lid and cook for 15-20 mins until charred.

Flip the chicken over and move to the side with no coals underneath. Close the lid and cook for a further 20-25 mins until cooked through. Check that the juices run clear; if not, return to the barbecue for a further 10 mins, then check again. (To cook in the oven, heat to 200C/180C fan/gas 6, place on a wire rack over a tray and cook for 45-55 mins. To char the skin, grill for a further 5-10 mins if needed.)

Leave the chicken to rest for 20 mins, then scatter over the coriander and serve with chapatis warmed on the barbecue, raita and your favourite chutney.

Ingredients

1.8kg chicken, spatchcocked

juice 1 lemon

2 tsp mild chilli powder

85g natural yogurt

85g coconut cream

3 garlic cloves, crushed

2½ cm/1in piece ginger, peeled and grated

1 tbsp tomato purée

1 tsp each ground cumin, ground coriander and garam masala

½ tsp grated nutmeg

1 tsp turmeric

1 tbsp olive oil

small bunch coriander

chapatis

cucumber raita

chutney

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