Chilli Garlic Oregano Spatchcock Chicken With Chipotle Aïoli Recipes

CHILLI, GARLIC & OREGANO SPATCHCOCK CHICKEN WITH CHIPOTLE AïOLI

Steps:

• To spatchcock the chicken, set the bird on your worktop, breast-side down, legs towards you. Using good kitchen scissors, cut through the flesh and bone along both sides of the backbone. Remove the backbone and keep it for stock (freeze until you've gathered three or four). Open the chicken, turn it over, then flatten it by pressing hard on the breastbone with the heel of your hand. You'll feel it breaking and flattening under your hand. Remove any big globules of fat and neaten any ragged bits of skin. Now you have a spatchcocked bird.
• Using a pestle and mortar, pound the garlic to a purée with some sea salt flakes. Add the chilli, oregano, extra virgin olive oil and some pepper. Put the chicken in a dish or roasting tin that will fit in your fridge. Gently loosen the skin of the breast, pushing your fingers in between the skin and the flesh. Work your way under the skin, over the legs too, and spoon some of the garlic and herb mixture in under the skin, then spread it all over the chicken, on both sides. Cover with cling film and put in the fridge for a few hours.
• Mix the egg yolk, mustard and crushed garlic together in a bowl. Using electric beaters or a whisk, start gradually adding the oils in little drops. Make sure that each drop has been incorporated before you add the next. If your mixture splits, just start again with a new egg yolk, and gradually add the curdled mixture to it. Add the chipotle paste, lemon juice to taste and seasoning. Cover and keep in the fridge for up to 4 hrs.
• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Lay the chicken in a roasting tin, breast-side up. Season all over and roast for 1 hr, basting a few times during cooking. To check that the chicken is cooked properly, pierce the bird between the leg and the body - the juices should run clear. Cut into serving pieces and serve with the chipotle aïoli. Roasted sweet potato wedges and a green salad are brilliant on the side. Any leftover aïoli will keep covered in the fridge for two days.

CHIPOTLE CHICKEN CHILI

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and onions and cook for a few minutes until the onions soften. Add the chicken and cook until lightly browned. Add three-quarters of the beer, reserving the rest, then cook for a couple of minutes to reduce. Add the black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, tomatoes, chile powder, cumin, salt and chipotles and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer, then cover the pot and cook for 1 hour.
• Combine the masa harina with the rest of the beer and stir to make a paste. Add this into the chili, along with the lime juice. Stir and cook until thick, 10 more minutes.
• Serve with the grated cheese, sour cream, diced tomatoes, cilantro and lime wedges for squeezing.

CHEF JOHN'S GREEN CHICKEN CHILI

Steps:

• Season chicken thighs with salt on both sides.
• Transfer 1/2 the chicken to a dry, nonstick skillet over high heat. Cook until browned, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a bowl. Brown the rest of the chicken. Let cool to room temperature before cutting.
• Combine salsa verde, green chilies, garlic, jalapeno, and cilantro in a blender. Blend, starting on low and finishing on high, until sauce is very smooth and bright green.
• Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces and transfer back into the bowl. Combine chicken pieces, accumulated juices, and the green sauce into a pot. Season with cumin, chipotle pepper, black pepper, oregano, and salt.
• Rinse out blender with a splash of water and pour into the pot. Mix together and set heat to medium-high. Bring to a simmer; reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until chicken is tender, depending on size of chicken pieces, about 1 hour. Stir in kidney beans and simmer until thickened, about 15 minutes.

SPICE-RUBBED SPATCHCOCKED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Spatchcock the chicken by using poultry shears or kitchen scissors (or a sharp knife) to cut along one side of the backbone until the chicken opens. If you like you can cut along the other side of the backbone and remove it, or leave it attached to roast with the rest of the bird. Open up the bird and place it so it lies flat, breast side up. Press hard onto the center of the breast until you feel a pop, and the breast lies more or less flat.
• In a small bowl, mix together sugar, salt, chile powder, paprika, mustard powder, oregano, pepper, allspice and bay leaves. Smear the mixture all over the chicken. Lay chicken, skin side up, on a rimmed baking sheet (or plate) and refrigerate uncovered for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.
• Heat oven to 425 degrees. If the chicken isn't on a rimmed baking sheet, transfer it to one. Roast chicken until the juices run clear when the thickest part of the thigh is pricked with a fork (an instant-read thermometer plunged into the thickest part of the breast will read 150), 40 to 50 minutes.
• Remove from oven, cover bird with foil and let rest for 10 minutes before carving. Serve with lime or lemon wedges on the side.

GARLIC AND HERB SPATCHCOCK GRILLED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Prepare a grill for medium-high heat with both direct and indirect heat zones, preferably with hardwood or hardwood charcoal. Separate leaves from 5 rosemary sprigs, then coarsely chop leaves. Tie remaining sprigs together with kitchen twine to form a brush. Combine garlic and oil in a measuring cup.
• Place chicken breast side down on work surface. Spatchcock chicken by cutting along both sides of backbone with kitchen shears; reserve backbone for stock. Turn chicken over, breast side up, and splay open. Press down on breastbone with palms until you hear it crack and chicken is as flat as possible. Tuck the wings behind the breasts, then tuck in the legs so the bottoms of the drumsticks are pointed away from the body and chicken is as flat as possible.
• Brush all sides of both pieces of chicken with the garlic-oil using rosemary brush. Sprinkle all sides with chopped rosemary leaves, salt, and pepper.
• Grill both pieces of chicken, skin side down, over direct heat, until skin is golden brown, crispy, and lightly charred, about 5 minutes. Flip both pieces of chicken over, transfer to indirect heat, and baste with rosemary brush dipped in garlic-oil.
• Continue to grill chicken, basting occasionally, until skin is golden brown, juices run clear, and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat registers 165°F, 45-60 minutes for whole chicken and 25-35 minutes for chicken breast. Let chicken stand at least 10 minutes before carving. Arrange chicken on a serving platter and serve with chimichurri sauce alongside.

GRILLED SPATCHCOCKED CHICKEN WITH HONEY, CHILE AND LEMON

Steps:

• The day before cooking, spatchcock and season the chicken: Remove the spindly wing tips by cutting through the first wing joint with heavy-duty kitchen scissors. Lay the chicken breast side down. Using the scissors again, snip along both sides of the spine to remove it. (Reserve or freeze the spine for stock.) Open up the chicken and flip it over, placing it breast up and with the legs toward you on your cutting board. With one palm on top of the other in the center of the breast, press down until you feel the cartilage crack and the bird lies flat.
• Use the tip of a sharp knife to make three parallel slices in each breast, then three in each leg; each incision should go down to the bone and be about 3 inches long. Rub the sea salt all over, including in the incisions, seasoning more heavily on the underside of the bird.
• In a small bowl, mix the juice of 2 1/2 lemons with the honey, oregano, chile flakes and pepper. Pour 1/3 cup of this marinade over the chicken and refrigerate the remaining marinade for grilling.
• Trim the ends of the 1/2 lemon, then slice it into 12 very thin half-moons and remove any seeds. Tuck the lemon slices into each of the incisions on the chicken, sliding the cut side in and leaving the peel exposed.
• Place the chicken on a rimmed baking sheet, breast side up, and refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 12 or up to 24 hours.
• Two hours before cooking the chicken, take it out of the fridge to come to room temperature.
• Prepare the grill: Clean the grate thoroughly and light the coals. The bird should cook over low, indirect heat. The coals are ready when they're gray and dusty, rather than glowing red.
• Place the bird on the grill, breast side down, discarding any liquid left behind. Watch your chicken like a hawk for the first few minutes and flip the bird if the skin starts to char. When the chicken is lightly colored, or after 10 minutes, flip it over and baste with the reserved marinade. Close the lid on the grill and cook for 40 to 50 minutes more, flipping and basting the chicken every 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare the chickpeas: Using a mortar and pestle, crush the garlic, oregano and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt. When it's a chunky paste, stir in olive oil and lemon. In a large shallow serving bowl, toss the chickpeas with 1/4 cup dressing and season to taste with sea salt. (Reserve the remaining dressing for the chicken.)
• When the chicken has been cooking for 60 minutes, take its temperature: The meat should feel firm and an instant-read thermometer should read 165 degrees when inserted near the bone of the thickest part of the breast and leg. The chicken may need another 5 to 10 minutes grilling with the lid closed. If you want more char on the breast, cook breast side down; if there is enough color, continue to cook breast side up.
• Once the chicken is cooked, set it on top of the chickpeas. If you have any remaining baste, pour it over the bird. Let it rest for 10 minutes before carving on a cutting board.
• Use a large knife or cleaver to remove both thighs and legs. Separate both breasts, then cut each in half crosswise, creating 8 pieces. Place the chicken pieces back on the chickpeas and drizzle the chicken with the reserved oregano dressing. Cut the remaining lemon into quarters for squeezing on top, and dollop with Greek yogurt, if desired.