How to make butterflied harissa chicken

Ingredients

Serves 4

1.5kg fresh chicken
1 tbsp dry harissa seasoning
2 tsp chopped thyme
2 tsp chopped garlic
2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for cooking
4 baby cucumbers
100g mixed salad leaves
4 radishes, thinly sliced

Herb Oil

1 cup loosely packed parsley
1 tbsp thyme leaves
⅓ cup olive oil

Method

1. Wash and pat chicken dry with paper towel. Place chicken on a chopping board, breast-side down, with legs towards you. Using kitchen shears, cut along either side of the backbone and discard it. Turnover and use your hand to push down on the chest bone to flatten

2. Combine harissa, thyme, garlic, lemon zest and oil. Rub three-quarters of the marinade all over the chicken. Place in the fridge or in a container on ice until ready to barbecue. Reserve remaining marinade for basting.

3. To make the herb oil, combine all ingredients in a food processor. Process until finely chopped. Keep in a jar in a cool place.

4. Preheat a hooded barbecue to medium-low. Place chicken, breast side-up, on barbecue grill. Close lid and cook for 45 minutes, basting with remaining marinade after 35 minutes. Slash skin on top of the chicken three times with a knife. Drizzle with extra oil. Use tongs to turn chicken over. Cook, with lid down, for a further 15 minutes or until cooked through. Remove and rest for 5 minutes.

5. Break pomegranate into pieces and remove some of the seeds from some pieces. Use a vegetable peeler to slice cucumbers into ribbons. Combine leaves, cucumber, radish and pomegranate seeds in a bowl. Arrange salad on a serving platter with chicken.

6. Place remaining pieces of pomegranate around the chicken. Drizzle the chicken with herb oil and serve.

Tip: To grill large cuts like roasts or a whole chicken to perfection, a bluetooth or instant-read thermometer with probes is essential.

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