Creamy Peri-Peri Spatchcock Chicken
This creamy peri peri spatchcock chicken is two of my most popular recipes combined into one show-stopping dinner. The spatchcock technique from my baked peri peri chicken (butterflied for faster, more even cooking and crispier skin) meets the creamy peri peri sauce and savory turmeric rice from my creamy peri peri chicken. The result is a whole golden chicken with crispy skin, juicy meat and a spicy, creamy sauce poured over the top, served on a bed of fragrant rice with peppers, corn and onions.
What Is Spatchcocking?
Spatchcocking is simply removing the backbone from a whole chicken and pressing it flat. It sounds intimidating but it takes about 2 minutes with a pair of kitchen scissors. You cut along both sides of the backbone, remove it, flip the chicken over and press down firmly on the breastbone until it cracks and the chicken lies flat.
Why bother? A spatchcocked chicken cooks faster (about 45 minutes instead of 90 for a traditional roast), cooks more evenly (no more dry breast and undercooked thighs) and the skin gets crispier because the entire surface is exposed to the heat rather than half of it being tucked underneath.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Whole chicken. About 1.5 to 2kg (3 to 4 lbs). Ask your butcher to spatchcock it if you’d rather not do it yourself.
- Peri peri marinade. Olive oil, seasonings and fresh lemon juice. I used a store-bought peri-peri seasoning, salt and pepper but you could use the same seasoning blend as I do in my creamy peri peri chicken. Rub it over the entire bird, under the skin if you can, and let it marinate for at least 30 minutes. Overnight in the fridge is ideal.
- Peri peri sauce. Store-bought (Nando’s works well) or my homemade peri peri sauce. This goes into the creamy sauce.
- Heavy cream.
How to Make Creamy Peri Peri Spatchcock Chicken
The Chicken
Step 1: Spatchcock the chicken. Place the chicken breast-side down on a cutting board. Using sharp kitchen scissors, cut along both sides of the backbone and remove it. Flip the chicken over and press down firmly on the breastbone until it cracks and the chicken lies flat.
Step 2: Marinate. Drizzle the olive oil and lemon juice over the chicken then sprinkle over the seasonings. Rub the marinade over the entire chicken, getting it under the skin where possible. Marinate for at least 30 minutes, ideally overnight in the fridge.
Step 3: Roast. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Place the chicken skin-side up on a baking tray. Add a quartered red onion (optional) and pour in 1 cup of water. Roast for 40 to 50 minutes until the skin is golden and crispy and the juices run clear when you pierce the thigh. The internal temperature at the thickest part of the thigh should reach 165°F (74°C). Rest for 10 minutes before carving.
Step 4: Make the sauce. Add the peri peri sauce and heavy cream to a small saucepan. Simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes until slightly thickened. Add lemon juice and salt to taste. The sauce should be spicy, creamy, tangy and pourable.
Step 5: Once the chicken is cooked, pour over half the sauce and roast for another 5 minutes.
Step 6: Make the rice. While the chicken roasts, sauté the diced onion and peppers in a splash of oil until softened. Add the garlic and turmeric and cook for 30 seconds. Add the rice and stir to coat. Pour in the chicken stock or water, season with salt, bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes until the liquid is absorbed. Add the frozen corn, cover, reduce heat to the lowest setting and steam for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and let it stand while the chicken finishes. Make-ahead tip: I often use leftover rice for this recipe so saute the veg as normal and add the cooked rice, tossing well then serve.
Step 7: Serve. Pile the rice onto a platter. Place the carved or whole spatchcock chicken on top. Pour the creamy peri peri sauce generously over the chicken and serve.
How to Store
Fridge. Store the chicken, rice and sauce in separate containers for up to 3 days. Reheat the chicken in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 10 to 15 minutes to re-crisp the skin. Reheat the rice in the microwave with a splash of water. Warm the sauce gently on the stove.
Freezer. The rice and the sauce both freeze well for up to 3 months. The chicken is best eaten fresh or refrigerated rather than frozen, as the skin loses its crispiness entirely after freezing.
Serving Suggestions
We love this as a meal on its own but adding a big Arugula salad, broccoli or green beans is a nice idea.
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 3 lb (1.5kg) whole chicken
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp peri-peri seasoning
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
For the rice
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 yellow bell pepper
- 4 garlic cloves crushed
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 2 cups Jasmine rice
- 4 cups chicken broth / water
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 cups frozen corn
For the peri-peri sauce
- ½ cup peri-peri sauce
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1-2 tsp lemon juice to taste
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Spatchcock the chicken: cut along both sides of the backbone with kitchen scissors, remove it, flip and press flat on the breastbone.
- Drizzle over the olive oil and lemon juice. Season with the peri-peri seasoning, salt and pepper. Marinate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
- For the rice: Follow recipe instructions.
- Preheat oven to 400°F (20°C). Place chicken skin-side up on a baking tray. Roast for 40 to 50 minutes until golden, crispy and cooked through (165°F/74°C at the thigh).
- For the sauce: simmer peri peri sauce and cream for 5 minutes. Add lemon juice and salt to taste.
- Pour half of the sauce over the chicken and roast for another 5 minutes then remove from the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
- Serve the chicken over the rice. Pour the creamy sauce generously over the top.