Black Pepper Roast Chicken with Lemon Yogurt

Name: Black Pepper Roast Chicken with Lemon Yogurt
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 75 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1.5 kg whole chicken, spatchcocked; 400 g Greek yogurt; 2 lemons; 17 cloves garlic, divided; 1 small bunch coriander, roughly chopped; 1 tbsp black peppercorns; 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 tsp ground turmeric; 0.5 tsp salt; 1 batch peppered rice, for serving

This roast chicken is deeply savory, fragrant with cracked black pepper, garlic, turmeric, and fresh lemon, and finished with a creamy roasted garlic yogurt sauce. It is a simple but impressive main dish that works equally well for a family dinner or weekend entertaining.

Servings4 Portions

Prep Time45 Mins

Cook Time30 Mins

Difficulty

Intermediate

Ingredients

whole chicken, spatchcocked
1.5 kg
Greek yogurt
400 g
lemons
2
garlic, divided
17 cloves
coriander, roughly chopped
1 small bunch
black peppercorns
1 tbsp
olive oil
1 tbsp
ground turmeric
1 tsp
salt
0.5 tsp
peppered rice, for serving
1 batch

Step-by-Step Instructions

Crush the black peppercorns in a mortar and pestle until coarsely ground. Add the grated garlic and salt, then mash into a rough paste. Stir in the turmeric and lemon juice to make the marinade.

Place the spatchcocked chicken in a shallow dish, skin-side up, and score the skin in several places. Rub the marinade all over the chicken, making sure it gets into the cuts and over both sides. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or overnight for deeper flavor.

Heat the oven to 220C (200C fan/gas 7). Transfer the chicken to a shallow roasting tray, skin-side up, and place the whole garlic bulb alongside it. Drizzle the olive oil mostly over the chicken and a little over the garlic. Roast for 30 minutes, then remove the garlic bulb and set it aside. Return the chicken to the oven and roast for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the skin is crisp and the chicken is cooked through. The thickest part of the breast should reach at least 65C and the thigh 70C. Let the chicken rest in the tray, uncovered, for 10 to 15 minutes.

Squeeze the softened roasted garlic cloves from the bulb into a bowl and mix with the Greek yogurt. Stir in the resting juices from the roasting tray, then taste and adjust with a little more lemon juice or salt if needed. Carve the chicken and serve with the lemon yogurt sauce, chopped coriander, peppered rice, and extra lemon wedges if you like.