Best butter roast chicken - Fatimas
📷 Vanessa Wu
Spatchcocking a chicken is a two-minute kitchen hack that we think everyone should know. We buy a whole free-range or organic chicken, then cut out the breastbone with scissors before butterflying the bird and pressing down sharply on it once to make it sit flat. The Middle Eastern spices and curry leaves transform this roast chicken into something really special, and the curry mayo makes it extra luxurious. Serve with our Moreish Masala Potatoes & Eggplant (page 188) for a next-level roast. Don’t skip the curry leaves!
Serves 4-6
Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 45-50 minutes
1 whole chicken, free range, approx 1.6kg, spatchcocked (cut in half down the
breastbone)
50g butter, softened
6 sprigs of thyme, leaves picked and chopped
6 large sage leaves, chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 lemon, zest finely grated
1 tbsp Warm spice xix (see below)
1 tbsp oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 sprigs curry leaves, leaves picked
For the curry mayo
½ cup mayo, yoghurt or a mix of both
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp curry powder
Warm spice mix - makes about ½ cup
5 tsp cumin seeds
5 tsp paprika (sweet, not smoked)
3 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp ground ginger
¾ tsp ground nutmeg
¾ tsp pepper
2 tsp table salt
Preheat the oven to 180°C fan bake.
In a small bowl mix the thyme, sage, garlic, lemon zest and spice mix into the butter. Use the back of a spoon so it is well amalgamated.
Pull back the skin of the chicken a little and using your hands, rub half of the butter under the skin pushing it to all parts of the chicken. Rub the other half on the outside of the chicken, front and back.
Place in a roasting tray skin side up. Drizzle with olive oil and season the skin. Bake the chicken for 40 minutes until the skin is crispy. Baste the chicken a couple of
times with the butter at the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle the curry leaves over the chicken and cook for a further 5 minutes, until the juices run clear.
Cut the chicken into pieces and pour over the butter and curry leaves. Serve with a bowl of curry mayo on the side.
For the warm spice mix - heat a small pan over a medium heat. Toast the cumin seeds for a minute or two until fragrant. Grind a little in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle leaving some texture to the seeds. Place in a bowl with all the other ingredients. Mix well to combine. Store in an airtight jar. Best used within a month.
