Butterflied Chicken with Caper, Olive and Lemon Butter

nickrecipearcecom

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Serves: 4

Alrighty folks this one has been a crowd pleaser at dinner parties for yonks. You can ask your butcher to debone the legs for you, or give it a crack yourself. The caper, olive and lemon butter is banging and goes so well with crispy chook!

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  • Prep time: 30 minutes
  • Cook time: 30 minutes
  • Total time: 1 hour
  • Serves: 4

Ingredients

  • 1 Whole butterflied chicken, (ask the butcher to debone the legs if you don't feel comfortable having a go yourself)
  • 8 Fresh pitted sicilian olives
  • 3 Tsp Fresh capers in vinegar
  • 100g Salted butter
  • 2 Garlic cloves
  • 1 Lemon
  • Fresh thyme
  • Olive oil
  • Flakey salt
  • Cracked pepper

Method

  • 1)

    Assuming you have butterflied the chicken like mine (see video) start with the breast against the board and remove the wings by cutting just below the joint with a sharp boning knife.

  • 2)

    Remove the bone from the leg put a circular cut around the end of the bone that is poking out to release the meat from the bone (think ring barking). Then use the base part of your knife to scrape the meat off the bone down towards the next joint.

  • 3)

    Make a cut below the next joint by pulling back the skin as demonstrated in the reel (this is a bit tricky) and then do the same scraping technique to remove the flesh from the bone until you hit the end of the leg.

  • 4)

    Tuck it all back inside itself as you were when you began and using the base of a chef’s knife or cleaver, cut the end of the leg and you should be able to remove the leg bone. If any bits are caught just go back and make little release cuts.

  • 5)

    To make the butter, place 100g of softened unsalted butter into a bowl then add 3 tsp of capers, finely sliced green sicilian olives, 2 small cloves of, zest of one lemon and a few cracks of pepper. Mix to combine and set to one side.

  • 6)

    Ideally have your chicken at room temp so it cooks nice and evenly. Pre-heat the oven to 180C fan forced.

  • 7)

    Cover the chicken skin in flakey salt.

  • 8)

    Heat an oven proof pan on the stove on high heat. Once heated pop in some olive oil then place the chicken breast side down for 4-5 minutes until nice and golden.

  • 9)

    Flip it over and place into the oven for 15 minutes. Then remove the chicken and place it onto a plate to rest for 10 minutes.

  • 10)

    Re-heat the pan on the stove on a low heat and add the caper, olive and lemon butter with a few sprigs of fresh thyme. Cook for a couple of minutes until the garlic is starting to brown, then turn it off.

  • 11)

    Slice the chicken once it has rested by going down the middle, then slicing each half as demonstrated in the reel. Return it to the pan and pop onto a low heat and spoon over the caper, olive and lemon butter.

  • 12)

    Serve it up in middle of the table with your favourite side and squeeze over some lemon juice.

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