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BBQ Lemon Chicken

I absolutely love to cook on my BBQ in the summer, this chicken recipe is simple to prepare and so full of flavour.

My recipe could also be adapted to use chicken portions of chicken breasts, just adjust the cooking times and always use a meat thermometer to be on the safe side.

Ingredients:

1 Chicken

4 Lemons

Large bunch Fresh Rosemary

3 Garlic Cloves

Seasoning

Parsley

Method:

1. Ask your butcher to spatchcock a large free-range chicken - this means that all the bones (except the leg bones) have been removed. The chicken is flat and cooks more quickly and evenly than a whole chicken. Here I have butterflied the chicken leaving the bones in the breast, which, makes the cooking time longer but keeps the chicken juicier.

2. Zest two of the lemons and squeeze the juice from 4 lemons. Cut what's left of the lemons into quarters. Put the lemon zest, juice and quarters in a roasting tin. Add the chicken, rosemary sprigs, garlic, salt and plenty of pepper. Move the chicken around so it is well coated with the marinade ingredients. Seal and chill in the fridge overnight or for at least 3 hours.

4. Light the barbecue and allow the heat to die down for up to 45 minutes. When the barbecue is giving off a medium-low heat, place the chicken on the grill, skin side up, making sure that the rosemary, garlic and lemon quarters from the marinade are placed on top.

5. Cover with barbecue lid, approx 30mins, then turn over to crisp up the skin. Check it is cooked properly by inserting a thermometer into the thickest parts (thighs) it should read 75 C.

Top Tip:

Preheat your BBQ in the usual way until it reaches the correct temperature. Cook turning once, bearing in mind you may have to adjust the cooking time slightly depending on how hot your barbecue is or how near the heat source the food is placed. I like to have fuel on about 2/3 of my BBQ, leaving a void to cook the chicken.

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