Splayed Chook in a wood-fired pizza oven

Oven environment: 240-300°C. The bird will cook in about 35-40 minutes in a hot oven. Test to check if it is cooked through by sticking in the tip of a knife at the thickest part of the thigh. If the juices run clear, it’s done.

Ingredients

• 1 butterflied chicken
• a sprinkle of olive oil
• 1 lemon, juice
• 1 tbsp parsley, roughly chopped
• a few sprigs of thyme, leaves picked
• 2 tbsp sumac
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Method

Spread out the bird, skin side up, in a large roasting tray. Cut shallow incisions along the legs and drumsticks.

Sprinkle the olive oil and lemon juice over both sides of the chicken, followed by the other aromats, then, skin side up, massage it in a bit. (The poor bird has been brutalised after all, so it deserves a bit of a rub.)

Dot the thyme sprigs around the tray and put in the squeezed lemon halves.

Cover with cling film and marinate overnight in the fridge.

Take out of the fridge to bring back to room temperature just before cooking.