Spicy Hot Peri Peri Spatchcock Chicken

Peri peri spatchcock chicken is the perfect quick way to roast a whole chicken and spice it up with a fantastic South African pepper marinade.

Cooking this whole chicken will take between 35 and 45 minutes, preparation will take around 20 minutes, then all you have to decide is how long you can let that delicious marinade sit!

Whole Roasted Butterflied Peri Peri Chicken

I have a "thing" for peri peri chicken, I love that whole hot and spicy vibe, and this whole roasted spatchcock number joins a few other recipes that share a similar South African inspired coating.

I have everything from peri peri chicken wings and a wonderful peri peri chicken burger, to some incredible peri peri chicken livers.

The marinade is similar in all of these dishes, with onion and spicy chilli peppers being joined by garlic, vinegar and lime juice. Then a combination of basil, oregano, rosemary and smoked paprika rounds out the marinade.

Butterflying or spatchcocking the bird helps it cook 20-25% quicker than a regular roast chicken, and helps a smaller bird like this cook more evenly.

This is gloriously simple, and it tastes incredible, but be aware that this is a fiery old bird!

How To Spatchcock Chicken

This really is so simple it hurts, but you do need a tool... some good poultry shears, they are much more robust than ordinary kitchen scissors. They will munch straight through the bones, and they are much easier than using a knife for this job.

1. Flip your bird upside down so that the breast is on the table. Then use a pair of poultry shears and cut along both sides of the backbone, and remove it. You can save this for stock.
   
2. Open up the bird a little, and you will see a small "V" shape at the wing end of the bird. It will have two "oysters" of chicken on each side, and make a cut in the middle here. Then pull it open a little.
   
3. Flip the chicken back over and then push down with the heel of your hand, just like giving CPR, to flatten the bird.
   
4. Tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken; this will help the bird keep a nice shape when it is roasted.
   

Frequently Asked Questions

How hot is this peri peri marinade?

I always caveat this question by saying that tolerance to spice is incredibly personal. One person's mild tickle is another's raging inferno.

I consider this to be hot, and if you struggle with chilli heat, you should either scale back the chilli or use a milder chilli in this recipe.

Do I have to use a meat thermometer?

No, you can guess, or use the "clear juices" method; however, I swear by using a meat thermometer. They are fairly cheap and incredibly reliable.

Do I have to marinate the chicken?

No, you can throw this in the oven and be done, but you get plenty more flavour if you let it sit for a few hours.

Can I use a different marinade?

Yes, anything that you can throw on a chicken will work well on a spatchcocked bird.

A couple of my favourites are the marinade for my tandoori chicken and the marinade for my marmalade chicken breast.

Serving Suggestions

To begin with, I usually keep one tablespoon of the peri peri marinade aside when I am making this spatchcock chicken. Then I will mix it with 3-4 tablespoons of mayonnaise to make a nice and spicy mayo dip for my dinner.

Then I have served my chook in these pictures with my Parmentier potatoes that I cooked in the oven with the chicken. For some greens, I knocked up some garlic asparagus that I cooked in the air fryer.

Other spud dishes that work particularly well with this recipe are some proper old-school chip shop style chips, or even some buttery mashed potatoes.

If tatties ain't your thing, how about a lovely cheesy polenta? This will help cool that chilli burn!

As for alternate greens, one of my favourite things to add (especially if the oven is on), is some roasted tenderstem broccoli. Although my green beans amandine would also work really well!

Equipment Used

I only name-check brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.

• Oven.
• Baking sheet or tin.
• Quick-read meat thermometer.
• Poultry shears or heavy-duty kitchen scissors.
• Large knife.
• Chopping board.
• Mini Blender.
• A combination of weighing scales, measuring cups and spoons.