Spatchcocked Chicken with Heirloom Tomato Salad with Curtis Stone

Serves: 4

Prep Time: 20 minutes

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Cook Time: 55 minutes

Make-Ahead: The spice mix can be made up to 1 week ahead, stored in an airtight container at room temperature. The herb-walnut mixture can be made up to 3 hours; store covered and refrigerated.

Ingredients

1 large whole chicken (about 1.8kg), backbone removed with kitchen shears

3 tsp. sweet paprika

1 tsp. each ground coriander and ground cumin

2 tbs. olive oil, divided

1 lemon, quartered

2-3 heirloom tomatoes

2 spring onions, sliced

1/4 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves

1/4 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

1/4 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves

1/2 cup toasted walnuts

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 lemon

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Place chicken, skin side up on a chopping board. Put your hand on breastbone and press hard to flatten chicken. In a small bowl, mix paprika, coriander, cumin, 1 tsp. sea salt flakes and 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper. Rub chicken with 1 tbs. oil and coat with spice mixture, rubbing it into chicken.
2. Heat a large heavy griddle or grill pan over medium heat. Add chicken, skin side down, to griddle and cook for about 3 minutes, or until skin is golden. Turn chicken skin side up.
3. Transfer griddle to oven. Roast chicken for 45 minutes, or until chicken shows no sign of pink when pierced in thickest part with tip of a small sharp knife. Remove pan from oven. Carefully remove chicken from griddle and set aside to rest.
4. Meanwhile, in a food processor, combine spring onions, basil, parsley and mint. Process to chop herbs. Pulse walnuts into herb mixture to coarsely chop. Stir in extra-virgin olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
5. To serve, spoon some herb-walnut mixture over platter. Arrange tomatoes atop mixture on platter. Sprinkle with sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper.
6. Carve chicken and squeeze lemon over chicken and tomato salad. Serve chicken with tomato salad and any accumulated juices from resting chicken.

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