OVERVIEW
Is there a better way to cook a chicken than over fire? A simple but punchy marinade of oregano and orange levels up this boneless bird, alongside bags and bags of smoke flavour. The burnt pepper and chilli salsa punches way above its weight, too.
BRINE THE CHICKEN
To make the brine, mix the cold water and fine salt. Stir until completely dissolved. Lower in the deboned chicken and pop into the fridge for 2 hours. Set up your EGG for direct cooking with the Stainless Steel Grid in place. Target temperature is 200°C. Fish the chicken out of the brine and blot it dry. Using a pestle and mortar, crush the garlic cloves with a little salt then add the zest of an orange, plus the dried and fresh oregano. Mix with just enough oil to bring together, then brush a little over the chicken. Set aside.
MAKE THE GARLIC BUTTER
When the grill is at its hottest, pop a tray or frying pan over the heat and toss in the butter. Allow it to melt and foam. When it starts to sizzle and brown, toss in the smashed garlic cloves and rosemary leaves. Season with a little salt and black pepper and cook until fragrant and nicely browned. Remove from the heat.
MAKE THE SALSA
Coat the chillies and peppers with oil and set them over the grill to char. Cook until blackened and then pop into a bowl, covered with a towel, to steam. Peel and deseed before chopping into a paste. Add the orange juice, vinegar, Aleppo pepper and enough olive oil to create a luscious salsa.
GRILL THE CHICKEN
Carefully lay the chicken, skin-side down, onto the bars of the grid. You should hear a hiss as it hits the bars. Cook, undisturbed, for 8-9 minutes, until the skin is super crispy and a little charred. Flip the chicken and cook it meat-side down for around 5 minutes, until the temperature reaches 68°C-69°C at the thickest point. Throughout the whole cook, keep brushing the chicken with the garlic butter. Once cooked, remove from the heat and leave it to rest on a tray for 10 minutes, sitting in its buttery juices. While the chicken rests, toss the spring onions with olive oil and grill until blackened and wilted. Carve the chicken, arrange on a platter with a last drizzle of the garlic butter, lashings of the chilli salsa and the burnt onions, then finish with a squeeze of lemon.
