Barbecued Italian butterflied chicken
- 1 x 1.5kg corn-fed or free-range chicken
- 50ml extra virgin olive oil
- 125ml white wine
- Juice of ½ lemon
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon ariosto
- 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
- ½ tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- Sea salt
Place the chicken, breast-side down, onto a clean work surface. Use kitchen scissors to cut the backbone. Place the chicken breast-side up and cut along the breast bone. Press the chicken down on the breastbone to flatten it and place into a large bowl.
To make the marinade, combine the extra virgin olive oil, white wine, lemon juice, dried oregano, ariosto, garlic slices, fresh thyme and rosemary in a large, screw-top jar. Close the jar and shake well to combine. Pour the marinade over the chicken and gently toss a couple of times to coat. Place the chicken in the refrigerator for one hour to marinate.
Remove the chicken from the fridge. Heat a barbecue (covered) over low heat. Season the butterflied chicken with sea salt to taste. Cook the chicken on the barbecue grill, breast side up for 30 minutes. Turn the chicken and cook breast side up down for 20 minutes.
Use tongs to transfer the chicken to a serving plate. Set the chicken aside to rest, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
Serve immediately with a salad. We recommend Insalata (salad) of asparagus, egg, prosciutto and parmigiano, Insalata (salad) of orange and fennel, Insalata caprese and Pumpkin (squash), goat’s cheese, pine nut and rocket salad – buon appetito.
