I am by no means claiming that this is a traditional middle eastern dish but it was those flavours I was thinking of when I came up with this. This is super easy to do, and full of flavour. You can get your butcher to butterfly the chicken for you or do it yourself (it’s really easy to do and you can always find a tutorial online!). I have also cooked this in the oven and it works just fine, but you don’t get the smoky char of course! Delicious served with the KALE, LENTIL AND POMEGRANATE SALAD 😉

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

1 Medium sized whole chicken, butterflied.

4 Tbs finely chopped parsley

Zest and juice of one lemon

1 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp sumac

1 tsp ground cumin

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 tsp chilli flakes

1/2 Tbs olive oil

Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Place paprika, sumac, cumin, chili, garlic, parsley, lemon zest and juice and olive oil in a container large enough to hold the chicken flat, mix together in this container.

2. With a sharp knife, make 8 slices in the chicken (2 on each breast, 2 on each leg), they should just slice into the flesh, not too deep. Season the chicken.

3. Place the chicken in the dish with the marinade and rub into the chicken on all sides making sure you get some in the slices you have made. Leave to marinate for 15mins-1hr.

4. Turn the BBQ on and heat with the hood down (you need something with a grill and range hood). Once very hot place chicken on flesh side down (skin facing up). Close hood and leave the chicken for 20 mins.  Turn the chicken over and then leave with the hood down for 20 minutes. Turn again and cook for 5 more minutes if it needs it then remove from the bbq and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Serve

HH. x