Butterfly Chicken Recipe

Butterfly the thighs

Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Using sharp kitchen shears, cut along one side of each thigh bone and open the thigh so it lies flat (butterfly). If necessary, remove excess bone fragments and press lightly to an even thickness for even cooking.

Prepare the marinade

In a medium bowl whisk together 3 tbs olive oil, 1 cup plain yogurt, 2 tbs lemon juice, minced garlic (4 cloves), smoked paprika, ground cumin, dried oregano, ground coriander, 1.5 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper and 1 tbs honey until smooth.

Marinate

Place the butterflied thighs in a shallow dish or zip-top bag. Pour the marinade over the chicken, rubbing it under the skin and over all surfaces. Cover or seal and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 12 hours (overnight) for best flavor.

Bring to room temperature

Remove chicken from refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking to take the chill off. Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F) if finishing in the oven or prepare a medium-high grill.

Cook the chicken

Option A — Grill: Oil grates and grill butterflied thighs skin-side down over medium-high heat for 6–8 minutes until the skin is well browned and releases easily. Flip and cook 5–7 minutes until internal temperature reaches 74°C (165°F). Option B — Oven: Heat an ovenproof skillet over medium-high stove; add 1 tbs olive oil and place thighs skin-side down. Sear 5–6 minutes until golden, then flip and transfer skillet to preheated oven for 12–15 minutes until internal temperature reaches 74°C (165°F).

Rest and finish

Remove cooked thighs to a board and let rest 5–7 minutes. Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley over the chicken and squeeze a little lemon juice from the wedges before serving.

Roast the vegetables

While chicken marinates or cooks, preheat oven to 220°C (425°F). Prick the eggplant a few times with a fork, place eggplant and whole red pepper on a baking sheet. Roast 20–25 minutes, turning once, until skin is charred and flesh is soft. If using a broiler, watch closely to avoid burning. Remove red pepper and eggplant and allow to steam in a bowl covered with plastic for 10 minutes, this loosens the skins.

Peel and chop

Peel the charred skin off the red pepper and eggplant (discard seeds and stem from pepper). Chop roasted eggplant, pepper and the tomato into 1 cm pieces. Finely dice the red onion and lightly sauté in 1 tbs olive oil over medium heat for 2–3 minutes to soften, then add minced garlic (1 clove) and cook 30 seconds more. Let cool slightly.

Combine the relish

In a bowl combine the chopped roasted vegetables and sautéed onion/garlic. Add 1/2 cup plain yogurt, 1 tbs lemon juice, 1/2 tsp lemon zest, 1/4 tsp ground cumin, 3/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper and chopped mint or parsley. Stir to combine and adjust seasoning to taste. If you prefer a smoother texture, mash lightly with a fork.

Serve

Spoon the Cappadocia relish alongside the rested butterfly chicken. Drizzle with a little extra-virgin olive oil and offer lemon wedges at the table.

Arrange butterflied, rested chicken on a platter. Add a generous scoop of Cappadocia roasted-vegetable yogurt relish. Drizzle 1 tbs extra-virgin olive oil over the relish and chicken, garnish with additional chopped parsley and serve with lemon wedges.