Oregano chicken

This dish is prepared in a reversespatchcock style – opened down the front rather than the back. Casa do Frango’s chicken is never marinated, simply seasoned with salt and cooked over charcoal. As it cooks, it’s turned frequently, and is also triple-glazed, so every piece is generously coated. Serve it with rice and salad.

SERVES 4 PREP 15 mins plus overnight infusing COOK 1 hr EASY 1 small chicken (about 1.3kg) For the oregano glaze 125ml sunflower oil

1 large garlic clove, peeled 1 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp dried oregano

1 To make the oregano glaze, put all of the ingredients in a small food processor, season with salt, then blitz until smooth. Transfer the glaze to a bowl, cover and set aside to infuse for 24 hrs.

2 Reverse spatchcock the chicken by cutting down the front of the breast using kitchen scissors or a sharp knife. Turn the chicken over, skin-side up, and press down firmly so it flattens out, then dislocate the thigh joints and cut through the wing joints so that they lie flat. Make a deep cut in each of the drumsticks and thighs.

3 Heat a barbecue or large griddle pan until hot. Season the chicken generously with sea salt, then grill, turning frequently, for 45 mins until the skin is browned but not charred and the internal temperature reaches 75C (this will take about 1 hr 30 mins on a griddle pan; the chicken should be turned every 10 mins, if you prefer). If the chicken starts to char, reduce the temperature or move it to the cooler side of the barbecue. Remove the chicken from the heat and brush over most of the oregano glaze, then set aside to rest for 5 mins.

4 Cut the chicken in half, then cut each half into five pieces. Brush the chicken with some of the remaining oregano glaze. Serve with some rice and salad, if you like, with any remaining oregano glaze drizzled over the top.

GOOD TO KNOW gluten free

PER SERVING 614 kcals • fat 50g • saturates 9g • carbs 0.3g • sugars 0.1g • fibre 0.2g • protein 40g • salt 0.3g