Piri-piri spatchcock chicken is much quicker to cook than a regular roast so perfect for a midweek meal. Removing the backbone and then flattening the chicken shortens the cooking time by half.
Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan) mark 6. Line a large, shallow roasting tin with foil. Put chicken breast-side down on a board. Use kitchen scissors to cut along each side of the backbone and discard. Turn chicken over and press down on the breast to flatten it. Rub 4tsp of the piri-piri, 1tsp of oil, and the lemon zest and juice all over the chicken. Put breast-side up in the prepared tin.
Step 2
Slice potatoes into wedges about 2cm (3/4in) thick. Scatter into a separate roasting tray. Toss through remaining piri-piri and 2tsp oil.
Step 3
Roast chicken and wedges for 30min. Remove chicken tin from the oven. Add cherry tomatoes, then drizzle with 1tsp oil and season. Return tin to the oven and roast for a further 10min until chicken is cooked and tomatoes have just burst. Remove chicken and tomatoes to a board and leave to rest for 10min. Continue cooking wedges for 10min, or until tender.
Step 4
Joint the chicken and serve with the wedges, tomatoes and a green salad, if you like.
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