Ingredients

• 1.6kg chicken
• 3 tbsp. Olive oil
• ½ Marshall & Brown Jerk Marinade / Dunn’s River jerk marinade
• 2 limes

Method

1. Prepare the chicken by removing the backbone using a pair of kitchen shears or a sharp knife. Wash the chicken with the two limes cut in half and pat try.
2. Transfer the chicken to a baking sheet and flatten it down to spread the chicken out as much as possible.
3. Pour the marinade over the chicken. Cover with foil or plastic wrap and marinate in the fridge for at least 3 hours or overnight.
4. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
5. Remove the foil or plastic wrap and roast the chicken for 45-50 minutes, until cooked through. Rest for 10 minutes on a cutting board before carving and serving. Enjoy!

How to remove the backbone from a chicken (to spatchcock)

1. Turn the bird over so it’s breast side-down and you’re looking at the back.
2. Cut alongside the backbone and through the ribs. Cut with the scissors near where the two blades are screwed together. You’ll have the most force here; don’t try to snip with the tips of the scissors. It needs a bit of force to cut through the ribs, but not too much.
3. Cut all the way up one side of the backbone, and then all the way up the other. Remember, you’re cutting beside the backbone, not actually through it. Once the backbone has been cut free, lift it out and set it aside to use for chicken stock.
4. Turn the chicken over and press down on the breast bone. Use your hands to open up the chicken a little bit, and then turn it over so that the breasts are now facing up. Use the palm of your hand and press firmly down on the breast meat, right over the breastbone. You will probably hear a little bit of crunching.
   The goal here is to flatten this area so that the breasts and the thighs are basically at the same level.