Spatchcocked Chicken on the BBQ

This is another favourite camping recipe in our family. It is one that I often prepare before we leave (I often have a couple prepared and in the freezer, we like it so much!) but it can just as easily be made at the campsite. We like it as a change from the ubiquitous bangers and burgers which we love to eat but sometimes it is nice to have a change.

Whether you make this on site or at home before you leave you will need to prepare one element of it in advance - the chicken seasoning rub. I make up a jam jar of this every so often and I always have some in the cupboard. I use it for a lot of things at home but I think it works particularly well on chicken.

Chicken Seasoning Mix

• 2 tbsp Herbes de Provence mix
• 1 tbsp paprika (hot, mild or smoked - your choice)
• 1 tbsp sea salt (I use Maldon, but use whatever you have to hand)
• 1 tbsp cracked black pepper
• 1 tbsp English mustard powder
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder

I simply bung all of these into my mini food processor and blitz for about a minute. I don't mind the odd lump of peppercorn but, if you want it finer, keep going for longer. You can do this in a mortar and pestle but I am too lazy to bother.

Store in a screw top jar. Slap it over roast chicken along with some olive oil and a squeeze of lemon and you will think you are in deepest Provence.

This recipe is my variation of a recipe that appears in a lovely book about preserving food called 'Preserved' by Nick Sandler and Johnny Acton.

So, you have made your chicken seasoning mix and it is ready to go. Onto the rest of the recipe.

Spatchcocked Chicken with Lemon, Garlic, Onion, Herbs and Seasoning

• 1 chicken (the size will depend upon the surface area of your BBQ - don't buy a huge chicken if you only have a little one!)
• 1 tbsp Chicken Seasoning Mix
• 1 tbsp good quality oil (Rapeseed is my choice)
• Zest and juice of half a lemon
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1 onion, sliced (optional)
• Some fresh mixed herbs - whatever you have to hand - I like a mix of Thyme, Rosemary and a couple of Bay leaves

First you need to spatchcock your chicken because it will cook more quickly and evenly on a barbecue this way. This is really easy to do but, if you don't want to tackle it, just ask your butcher to do it for you. Firstly, remove any string that is keeping the chicken together. Then turn your chicken breast side down on the chopping board and, starting at it's bottom, cut up either side of the backbone and remove it. I use poultry shears because I find it easier but a good pair of kitchen scissors will do the job too.

Once the backbone is removed, turn the chicken over and press down, with the heel of your hand, in the middle of the two breasts to flatten it. Et voila!! You have a spatchcocked chicken.

Next, you need to bash together the garlic, herbs & lemon jest with the lemon juice and the oil. At home I use my mini food processor, on site I either use a mortar and pestle if I have one or I just chop the garlic, herbs and lemon zest on a board, tip into a spare jam jar and add the oil and lemon juice before giving it all a good shake.

This mix needs to be poured over the chicken, making sure that the skin is covered.

The last thing to do is to sprinkle over the chicken seasoning, the onion if you are using it, and leave it all to marinate somewhere cool.

When I make this in advance I put the chicken in a vacuum bag and use my vacuum sealer to keep it fresh. It will happily keep in the fridge for  up to 3 weeks or I often freeze it.

When you are ready to cook, take the chicken out and brush off any onion that is clinging to it. Put it on the BBQ for about 10-12 minutes each side, turning once or twice. If you like you can fry the onions in a pan alongside the chicken on the BBQ if there is room or fire up a camping stove.

Serve with salad, maybe some new potatoes or garlic bread and a very large glass of your favourite tipple. Bloody lovely!!