BBQFORTE
Chicken

Peri Peri Spatchcock Chicken

Big peri peri kick, paprika and garlic, with juicy meat and properly browned skin. Flatten the bird, sort the fire and let the BBQ do its thing.

1 hr 15EasyServes 4

Gluten Free

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Spatchcock Chicken ready to serve

If you haven’t tried spatchcocking a chicken, now’s your time. Spine out, bird flat. It cooks more evenly than a whole bird, without leaving the breast waiting around for the legs. This one keeps things simple: peri peri sauce, paprika and garlic. Most of the cooking happens away from the coals, then a late brush of sauce brings the heat. Big colour. Very little faff.

Prep
20 min
Cook
1 hr
Total
1 hr 15
Serves
4
Difficulty
Easy
BBQ
Kettle BBQ
Fire setup
Two zone
BBQ temp
200°C
Internal temp
75°C
Rest
10 min

You’ll need

FOR THE CHICKEN

FOR THE PERI PERI COATING

The cook

  1. Step 1SORT THE FIRE

    Set up your kettle BBQ for two-zone cooking, with the coals banked on one side and a clear indirect zone on the other. Put a drip tray beneath the clear side. Fit the cooking grate, close the lid and settle the temperature at 200°C.

  2. Step 2SPINE OUT

    Place the chicken breast-side down on a sturdy board. Using strong poultry shears, cut along both sides of the backbone and remove it. Turn the bird breast-side up, spread the legs out and press firmly on the breastbone until it flattens. Don’t wash raw chicken; clean your hands, board and shears thoroughly afterwards.

  3. Step 3SEASON IT

    Pat the chicken dry with kitchen paper. Mix the oil, paprika and garlic powder, then rub over both sides of the bird. Season lightly with salt. Tuck the wing tips behind the breasts so they don’t burn.

  4. Step 4KEEP SOME SAUCE CLEAN

    Divide the peri peri sauce between two bowls: 100 ml for brushing during cooking and 100 ml for serving. Keep the serving portion well away from the raw chicken and your basting brush.

  5. Step 5LID DOWN

    Put the chicken skin-side up over the indirect zone, with the legs pointing towards the coals. Close the lid and cook for 35–40 minutes, keeping the BBQ around 200°C. Rotate the bird if one side is colouring faster, but keep it away from direct heat.

  6. Step 6BRUSH AND FINISH

    Brush the chicken with the cooking portion of peri peri sauce. Close the lid and cook for another 15–25 minutes, until deeply coloured. Start checking with a digital probe after 50 minutes total cooking time. The thickest part of the breast and the innermost thigh must both reach 75°C, without the probe touching bone. If either is below that, keep cooking indirectly and check again. Discard any remaining basting sauce.

  7. Step 7REST, THEN CARVE

    Transfer the chicken to a clean board and rest for 10 minutes, uncovered or very loosely tented with foil. Don’t wrap it tightly or you’ll steam the skin. Cut into legs, thighs and breast portions, then serve with the reserved clean peri peri sauce.

Set your fire

  • Kettle BBQ
  • Two zone
  • 200°C

Technique: Indirect cooking, Roasting. Cook to 75°C internal. Rest for 10 min.

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