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Mustard, thyme and ginger spatchcock chicken

Name: Mustard, thyme and ginger spatchcock chicken
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: British recipes
Ingredients: 1.5kg free-range whole chicken; 2 tbsp lemon juice, plus lemon wedges, to serve; 6 fresh thyme sprigs, leaves picked; 4 tbsp sunflower oil; For the mustard and ginger glaze; 4 tbsp wholegrain mustard; 1 garlic clove, crushed; 5cm piece fresh ginger, grated; 1 tbsp dark soy sauce; 1 tbsp lime juice; 1 tbsp dark soft brown sugar

Published: 31 May 08
Updated: 18 Mar 24

Try our spatchcock chicken recipe, marinated in punchy mustard and ginger flavours and then barbecued to charred perfection.

Medium
June 2008

Test kitchen approved

Serves 4
Takes 10 min to make, 50 min to barbecue, plus 1-3 hours marinating and 5 min resting

Try our spatchcock chicken recipe, marinated in punchy mustard and ginger flavours and then barbecued to charred perfection.

Dairy-free recipes

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 466kcals
Fat: 26.5g (4.8g saturated)
Protein: 51.8g
Carbohydrates: 5.5g (4.7g sugars)
Salt: 1.8g

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Ingredients

1.5kg free-range whole chicken
2 tbsp lemon juice, plus lemon wedges, to serve
6 fresh thyme sprigs, leaves picked
4 tbsp sunflower oil

For the mustard and ginger glaze

4 tbsp wholegrain mustard
1 garlic clove, crushed
5cm piece fresh ginger, grated
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp dark soft brown sugar

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Method

First you need to spatchcock the chicken; put on a chopping board, breast-side down, and cut along either side of the back bone with kitchen scissors. Open up the chicken, turn it over and press firmly along the breast-bone until it is lying flat. Put into a large shallow dish. Mix together the lemon juice, thyme and oil, pour over the chicken and turn to coat evenly. Cover and chill for 1-3 hours to marinate.
If using a charcoal barbecue, light about 30 minutes before you want to cook. For a gas barbecue, preheat 10 minutes beforehand.
Mix the glaze ingredients together and season to taste. Set aside.

Push the coals to either side of the grate for indirect cooking or turn off the middle burner. Lift the chicken from the marinade, season and brush the underside with the glaze. Place on the barbecue, glazed-side down, cover with the lid and cook over a medium heat for 25 minutes – brush towards the end of this cooking time with more glaze. Carefully turn the chicken over, brush with more glaze and cook for a further 25 minutes, until the juices run clear from the thickest part of the thigh and the skin is golden.
Lift onto a board, cover and rest for 5 minutes.
Cut the chicken into pieces and serve with lemon wedges, boiled new potatoes and a crisp green salad.