This is my version of the Cuban dish, Pollo Con Mojo.
The boys have lots of fun with the name, heaps of Austin Powers jokes while trying to eat dinner!
By cutting the chicken down like this it cooks more quickly and using the spine as a rack stops the meat getting too burnt in the caramelised orange juice.
Any leftovers are fabulous for quesadilla fillings the next day.
Serves 4-6.
Ingredients
1.8kg chicken
200mls freshly squeezed orange juice
1 lime, zest and juice
2 teaspoons olive oil
4 garlic cloves
1 green chilli, deseeded
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons dried oregano
salt and pepper
Method
Turn the chicken, breast side down. Take a pair of poultry sheers and cut down either side of the spine, I find it easiest to cut down from the parsons nose end! Set the spine aside. Turn the chicken breast side up and push down the breasts to flatten the chicken.
Now make the marinade, combine all of the other ingredients and whizz in a food processor or use a stick blender to make the marinade.
Combine the chicken and marinade in a bag and pop in the fridge for 30mins-2hours if you have time.
Preheat the oven to 190 degrees Centigrade
Take a roasting tin and place the chicken spine on the base, top with the chicken and then pour over the marinade.
Place in the preheated oven and bake for 1 hour 10 minutes, basting every 20 minutes. If the wings are colouring too quickly, wrap them with a little foil.
Once the chicken is cooked, remove from the oven and allow to rest for 20 minutes before carving.
Caramelised orange sauce. Good golly, or as Homer Simpson says ‘drooool’. I’d say that those leftovers would be fabulous whatever you did with them. 🙃
PS, My boys used to Joe like that around the kitchen table. I miss those days.
Boys will be boys Mary, glad you like my recipe 😀 Ros
Thanks for your kind word Mary! 🙂 Ros
Reblogged this on Recipe Dreams and commented:
Sounds great!
Thanks for the reblog Javy! 🙂 Ros.
This look fabulous. Love the tip about using the backbone this way. I can hardly wait to try it.
Enjoy prpalmerton! 🙂 Ros
Sounds amazing!
Thanks so much Annika! 🙂 Ros
I like this chicken recipe. Thanks for sharing!
My pleasure Chris! 🙂 Ros
This looks amazing! Have you got a separate post about spatchcocking the chicken? I’m about to try cutting down a duck like this – just wondering if you’ve got any additional tips?
Sorry cabooseblogger, no blog posts about cutting down the chook but I would recommend some really good poultry shears! They make all the difference 🙂 Ros
Thanks, Ros! Will definitely make the investment – I did a duck and it was trying on my shears!
My pleasure 🙂 Ros
What a delicious way to use a whole chicken. You might enjoy these whole chicken recipes as well
https://reallifeofanmsw.com/tag/whole-chicken
I’ll pop over and check out your chicken recipes soon maw blog. 🙂 Ros