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1
Make the Marinade
10 Mins
Room temperature, about 22°C (72°F)
Whisk the peanut oil, finely chopped onion, garlic paste, grated ginger, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced scotch bonnet, crushed bouillon cubes, salt and black pepper in a bowl until you have a thick, spoonable paste. It should smell sharp, garlicky and warmly spiced.
Crush the bouillon cubes to a fine powder first, or they will sit in gritty lumps on the skin.
Done when: The paste is smooth, evenly mixed and coats a spoon.
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2
Marinate the Chicken
60 Mins
Fridge, about 4°C (39°F)
Rub the paste over every part of the spatchcocked chicken, pushing it under the breast and thigh skin with your fingers. Set the bird skin-side up in a tray, cover, and leave for at least 1 hour in the fridge, or overnight. Bring it back to room temperature for 30 minutes before grilling.
Cold chicken straight from the fridge burns outside before the inside cooks.
Done when: The skin is evenly coated and the meat has taken on the marinade colour.
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3
Set Up the Grill
15 Mins
Medium-high heat, 200–230°C (400–450°F)
Light charcoal and let it burn down to glowing coals with a thin coat of grey ash, or heat a gas grill to medium-high. Set up two zones: one side with direct heat for searing, one side cooler for finishing. Oil the grate lightly.
Two zones save the bird: sear over the coals, finish over the cool side so the skin does not burn.
Done when: You can hold your hand 15 cm above the grate for only 2–3 seconds.
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4
Grill Skin-Side Down
15 Mins
Direct heat, 200–230°C (400–450°F)
Lay the chicken skin-side down over direct heat and close the lid. Cook for 12–15 minutes without moving it, watching for flare-ups and shifting the bird to the cool zone briefly if flames leap. The skin should be deep golden with dark charred edges.
Do not keep lifting the lid to peek — every lift drops the heat and dries the skin.
Done when: Skin is crisp, golden-brown and marked by the grate.
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5
Flip and Finish
25–30 Mins
Indirect heat, about 180°C (350°F)
Turn the chicken over, move it to the indirect side, and brush with the reserved peanut oil. Close the lid and cook for 25–30 minutes, turning once, until the thickest part of the thigh reads 74°C (165°F) on an instant-read thermometer and the juices run clear when the thigh is pierced.
Free-range birds are leaner and firmer than supermarket broilers, so trust the thermometer, not the clock.
Done when: Thigh reads 74°C (165°F), juices run clear, and the leg joint moves easily.
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6
Rest and Carve
10 Mins
Resting, about 60°C (140°F) falling
Move the chicken to a board, tent loosely with foil and rest for 10 minutes so the juices settle back into the meat. Carve into drumsticks, thighs, wings and breast slices, and spoon any juices from the board over the top.
Cutting straight away spills the juices onto the board instead of keeping them in the meat.
Done when: The meat is juicy when cut, with no pink at the bone.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Serve the carved chicken on a wide platter with the onion salad and any pan juices spooned over. Eat it hot, with your hands if you like — that is how it is eaten at the roadside grills of Ouagadougou.
Burkina Faso
1h 15m
France
Vietnam