Grilled, Flattened Chicken

, from Issue #21. September, 2015
Photography by Nick Tresidder.
Grilled, Flattened Chicken

Add a bowl of olives, some truss tomatoes and a loaf of ciabatta and you have the makings of a feast.

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS

1 free-range or organic chicken

Marinade
1⁄4 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
finely grated zest and juice 1 lemon
1 teaspoon ground fennel
1⁄2 teaspoon chilli flakes
2 tablespoons finely chopped rosemary
1⁄4 teaspoon chilli flakes
3 cloves garlic, crushed

To finish
2 lemons, halved
1 radicchio lettuce
2 witlof

To cook
Heavy weight such as 2 bricks wrapped in double thickness of foil or another grill plate

METHOD

Serve with Fennel, Broad Bean and Mozzarella Salad as an Italian Platter.

Using kitchen scissors, cut down either side of the back bone and discard. Turn the chicken skin-side up and press against the backbone to crack it so the chicken lies flat.

Marinade: Place all the ingredients in a food processor and process until combined.

Gently lift the skin from the breast meat and spoon in a little marinade. Place the chicken in a shallow dish and pour over the marinade, turning to coat on all sides. Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.

Preheat a barbecue or ridged grill plate and brush lightly with oil. Take the chicken out of the marinade and place skin-side down on the grill. Put the bricks, another grill plate or a heavy sauté pan on top and cook over a medium to low heat for 30 minutes. Turn over, replace the weight and continue to grill until cooked through. Cover loosely and rest for 10 minutes.

Cut the lemons in half and grill, flesh side down, for a couple of minutes.

To serve: Carve the chicken and place on a platter with the grilled lemons, radicchio and witlof leaves.