RECIPE BY CHRISTINE CAPENDALE
STYLING AND PHOTOGRAPH BY HEIN VAN TONDER
Tray-baked spatchcock chicken with sweet potato medallions and green yoghurt dressing
Ingredients
TRAY BAKE
- 1 large (1,6 – 2kg) whole chicken
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
- 80g feta, crumbled
- 40g salted butter, softened
- 4 sweet potatoes, unpeeled and cut into medallions
- 40ml olive oil
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
DRESSING
- 60ml (¼ cup) olive oil
- 120g plain double-cream/
- Greek yoghurt
- 10g fresh coriander
- 15g fresh rocket
- ½ jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
- zest of 1 lime
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
For the tray-baked chicken, preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Set aside until needed.
Spatchcock the chicken by placing it breast side down on a large chopping board. The legs should be turned towards you. Use a pair of sturdy scissors to cut through the back of the chicken, splitting it open. Be careful not to cut into the breasts. Remove the backbone. Open the chicken up and turn it over. Flatten it by pressing down on the breastbone with the heel of your hand. Transfer the chicken to the baking tray.
Mix the rosemary, garlic, feta and butter together in a small bowl until a paste forms. Rub the paste over the entire spatchcocked chicken, as well as under its skin. Arrange the sweet potato medallions around the chicken in the tray. Drizzle everything with the 40ml olive oil and season to taste. Bake in the preheated oven until the chicken is cooked, about 40 minutes.
While the tray bake is in the oven, prepare the dressing. Place the 60ml (¼ cup) olive oil and ½ the plain double-cream/Greek yoghurt in a blender. Add the remaining ingredients and blitz until smooth. Stir in the remaining ½ of the yoghurt.
Serve the chicken with the sweet-potato medallions alongside. Enjoy with a drizzle of the dressing.
Imka Webb is a freelance digital marketing expert and the digital editor of Food & Home Entertaining magazine. www.imkawebb.com
