A spatchcock chicken is great on the braai and one of those winning chicken braai recipes.

It cooks quicker and more evenly than a whole bird, all the skin gets golden and crisp.

Plus it's much easier to carve. But what’s with the funny name?

The word is thought to have originated in 18th century Ireland and it means ‘to butterfly’ or ‘to flatten’.

Watch this week's Braai Masterclass and see Chef Reuben in action as he shows us how to debone a

chicken and braai a peri-peri spatchcock bird with ease.

Peri–Peri Spatchcock

45 minutes serves 4 - 6

Ingredients

1 Whole Spatchcock Chicken

5ml Robertsons Peri Peri

10ml Robertsons Rosemary

30ml Worcestershire Sauce

10ml Robertsons Garlic Flakes soaked in boiling water and drained

75 ml Smooth Apricot Jam

45ml Tomato Sauce

30ml Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice

Instructions

1. To make the marinade, combine all ingredients.

2. To spatchcock a chicken, simply place the bird, breast down, on a chopping board and cut along either side

of the backbone to remove it using a strong pair of scissors.

3. Turn the bird around and use the heel of your palm to flatten it out. Place chicken in a large bowl, add

marinade and cover.

4. Place the chicken in the fridge for a minimum of 3 hours.

5. Place the chicken on a grid over medium coals. Baste the chicken with the reserved marinade. Keep turning

so that you don’t burn the skin.

6. If the wings become too charred, cover them with foil. Braai for about 35 - 45 minutes. To test if it’s cooked,

insert a knife into the leg. If the juices run clear, the chicken is ready.