British Griller · Chicken · BBQ
Butterflied Chicken with Chilli Honey Drizzle
Butterflied chicken with a bold, smoky rub, crisp skin and a sweet chilli honey finish.
Chilli honey drizzle
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 1 whole chicken (1.5–1.8 kg), butterflied or spatchcocked
- 1 tbsp olive oil, just enough to help the seasoning stick
- 1 tbsp sea salt flakes
- 1½ tsp coarse black pepper
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic granules
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Optional: a pinch of ground cumin or coriander
Chilli honey drizzle
- 3 tbsp runny honey
- 1 red chilli, finely chopped, or chilli flakes
- Juice of ½ lemon
- A small knob of butter
- A tiny splash of cider vinegar
You’ll also need
A barbecue with a lid, a clean meat thermometer, tongs and a small pan for the drizzle.
The method
Season. Grill. Drizzle.
Prep the bird
Spatchcock the chicken by cutting out the backbone and pressing it flat, or ask your butcher to do it.
Rub with the olive oil, then season with the salt, pepper, smoked paprika, garlic granules and lemon zest. Add the optional cumin or coriander if using. Give it a bold, even coating.
If preparing ahead, cover and refrigerate until you’re ready to cook.
Set up the barbecue
Set up two cooking zones: one for direct heat and one for indirect heat. Aim for a barbecue temperature of 180–200°C.
Place the chicken skin-side up on the indirect side and close the lid.
Roast, then crisp
Roast until the breast reaches around 70°C, then move the chicken skin-side down over direct heat for roughly 2–3 minutes to crisp the skin. Watch closely and move it away if it starts to catch.
This 70°C reading is a checkpoint before crisping, not the finished target for this method.
Check the temperature
After crisping, check the thickest breast and inner thigh, keeping the probe clear of bone. Both must reach 75°C for at least 30 seconds.
If either part needs longer, return the chicken to indirect heat with the lid down until it reaches the target.
Make the drizzle
Heat the honey, chilli, lemon juice, butter and cider vinegar in a small pan until bubbling. Stir together.
Finish and serve
Once the chicken is cooked through, transfer it to a clean board and rest briefly. Brush over the warm chilli honey drizzle just before slicing.
Time is a guide, temperature is the target.
Use the current method above for the final breast and thigh temperature checks after crisping. Target reminder — check your food with a thermometer.
