Something different from the traditional potjies. Here the heat gets distributed by coals from the top, cooking the chicken deliciously flavourful and crisp.
ingredients
1 (about 1.2 kg) whole chicken
30 ml (2 Tbsp) olive oil
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
125 g baby marrows or patty pans, sliced
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into slices
30 ml (2 Tbsp) chopped fresh rosemary or 10 ml (2 tsp) dried
5ml (1 tsp) Spur Lemon & Peri Peri Spice
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Method
Spatchcock the chicken. Chargrill the chicken on the inside by placing over the flames for 5 – 8 minutes, until starting to brown
Place a flat based, medium cast-iron pot over moderate coals. Heat oil and sauté onions and garlic until soft.
Start adding vegetables from the softest to hardest – baby marrows, sweet potatoes, carrots and butternut. Mix stock, Spur Peri-Peri Sauce, rosemary, seasoning, pepper and pour over chicken.
Remove pot from coals and place on a flat surface.
Top vegetables with chicken, skin-side towards lid. Rub Spur Lemon & Peri Peri Spice over chicken and cover with lid. Stack moderate coals on top, covering lid completely. Leave pot for 1¼ hours. Add more coals if needed. Remove all burnt-out coals from lid before opening and serving.
To spatchcock a chicken
Use a sharp knife or kitchen scissors to cut the chicken along the centre back, from neck to tail.