Name: Barbecued butterflied chicken
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 6 cloves garlic, unpeeled; 150g butter, chopped, at room temperature; Sea-salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper, to season; 1.6 to 1.8kg free-range chicken, butterflied; 3 red onions, skin on, sliced in 2cm thick rings; 2 Tbsp dried Greek oregano, picked from the bunch, crumbled; 2 tsp smoky paprika; 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil; 1 small iceberg lettuce, trimmed, cut into 8 wedges; 1 lemon, cut into wedges; Oven-baked chips, to serve

You’ll forget fast food after creating homemade chicken and chips with onion rings. PS, cut your lettuce into wedges for a very cool look.

Ingredients

6 cloves garlic, unpeeled

150g butter, chopped, at room temperature

Sea-salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper, to season

1.6 to 1.8kg free-range chicken, butterflied

3 red onions, skin on, sliced in 2cm thick rings

2 Tbsp dried Greek oregano, picked from the bunch, crumbled

2 tsp smoky paprika

3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 small iceberg lettuce, trimmed, cut into 8 wedges

1 lemon, cut into wedges

Oven-baked chips, to serve

Method

Step 1

Preheat a hooded barbecue on high, or an oven to 220 degrees fan-forced (240 degrees C conventional). Using the back of a large knife, smash the unpeeled cloves of garlic in their skin. Put garlic in a bowl with butter, then season and mix until well combined.

Step 2

Pat chicken dry with paper towel. Use a sharp knife to slice along the chicken bones on the legs and wing joints. Gently stuff a little of the garlic butter mixture under the skin of breasts. Rub rest of the butter mixture all over chicken.

Step 3

Put onion rings on the base of a large oven tray in a single layer. Put chicken on top, skin side up. Sprinkle over oregano and paprika, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and season.

Step 4

Cook in preheated oven or hooded barbecue for 45 minutes or until cooked when tested (juices will run clear when cooked; if juices are red, continue cooking). Set aside to rest for 5 minutes before cutting into serving pieces. (If using a barbecue, cook on a wire rack to elevate off the immediate heat of the barbecue hotplate.)

Step 5

Meanwhile, arrange lettuce on one side of a large platter or board. Squeeze lemon juice from the lemon wedges over lettuce and drizzle remaining oil over the top. Season.

Step 6

Arrange carved chicken pieces and onions on the platter next to the lettuce, and drizzle warm chicken-tray juices over lettuce, onion and chicken. Serve immediately with chips.

barbecue chicken with a side of iceberg lettuce

Karen Martini Chef

Melbourne chef, restaurateur and food writer Karen Martini has been cooking professionally for more than 20 years. A passionate ambassador for Ovarian Cancer Research, Karen aims to build the awareness of the silent killer that is often misdiagnosed.

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