If you don’t want to brine your chicken, skip to step 4. If you are brining, combine salt with 4 cups cold water (1L). Stir until dissolved.

Butterfly chicken by chopping down the backbone to open the bird out like a book.

Place chicken and salty water in a large ziplock bag and pop in the fridge for 6-12 hours.

Remove the chicken from the fridge an hour before you’re ready to cook. Put a clean serving platter somewhere warm so it will be ready when the chicken is cooked.

Preheat your BBQ or oven to 220C (425F). Remove chicken from the brine. Pat dry and rub with a little oil. If you haven’t used the brine, season generously with salt on all sides. Don’t season if you’ve brined.

Cook chicken on a preheated BBQ plate for about 15 minutes each side, or until cooked through. OR roast breast side up for about 30-40 minutes or until cooked through. Rest for at least 15 minutes in a warm place before serving.

NOTE: The best way to tell if a chicken is cooked is to test with a meat thermometer. Aim for at least 75C (165F) or higher. Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh without touching bone. If you don’t have a thermometer, just cut into the chicken and look for pinkness or redness close to the bone. Especially around the thigh. If it’s still pink, keep cooking and retest in 10 minutes or so.

To carve, just chop in half lengthwise (along the breast bone) so you get 2 mirror halves. Then chop between the thigh and breast so you end up with 2 breasts and 2 thighs / legs.