Spatchcock Chicken with Baby Sweetcorn Salsa

1. Get started: Take the chicken out of the fridge 30 mins before cooking, to allow it to come to room temperature.

2. Cooking indoors: Preheat your oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/Gas 4. Place the chicken in a large roasting tin, skin-side up. Rub the skin with a good pinch of salt and pepper and ½ tbsp olive oil.

3. Slide the spatchcock chicken into the oven and roast for 1 hr 15 mins, basting from time to time.

4. To check if the chicken is cooked through, insert a skewer into the thickest part of the thigh. The juices should run clear. If it needs a little longer, return the chicken to the oven for 5-10 mins before checking again.

5. Lift the roast chicken out onto a plate or board, loosely cover with foil and rest for 20 mins.

6. While the chicken rests, pull the leaves and silks off the baby sweetcorn cobs. Pour ½ tbsp olive oil into a frying pan and warm to a high heat. Add the corn cobs to the hot pan, season with salt and pepper and fry for 5-6 mins, turning the corn once or twice, till tender and a little charred. Lift the charred corn out on to a plate and let cool slightly.

7. Roughly chop the charred corn and slide it into a bowl. Dice the tomatoes and add them to the bowl. Finely chop the chilli (you can halve it and scrape out the seeds and pith if you prefer less heat), and peel and finely chop the garlic. Pick the mint leaves and thinly slice them. Add the garlic, chilli and mint to the bowl. Grate in the lime zest and squeeze in the juice. Add a pinch of salt and pepper and 1 tbsp olive oil. Stir to make a salsa.

8. Carve the chicken and serve it with the tomato and sweetcorn salsa on the side.

9. Cooking outdoors: Light your barbecue and bring the coals to a medium temperature (see our tip, overleaf, on how to light your barbecue for the best results). Rub the chicken skin with a good pinch of salt and pepper and ½ tbsp olive oil.

10. Place the chicken, skin-side down, over the hottest part of the barbecue and cook for 4-5 mins, or till coloured. Turn over and cook for 4-5 mins. Move the chicken to a cooler part of the barbecue and cook, with the lid on, for 1 hr 15 mins.

11. To check if the chicken is cooked through, insert a skewer into the thickest part of the thigh. The juices should run clear. If it needs a little longer, return the chicken to the barbecue for 5-10 mins before checking again.

12. Lift the barbecued chicken out onto a plate or board, loosely cover with foil and rest for 20 mins.

13. While the chicken rests, pull the leaves and silks off the baby sweetcorn cobs. Pour 1/2 tbsp olive oil into a frying pan and warm to a high heat. Add the corn cobs to the hot pan, season with salt and pepper and fry for 5-6 mins, turning the corn once or twice, till tender and a little charred. Lift the charred corn out on to a plate and let cool slightly.

14. Roughly chop the charred corn and slide it into a bowl. Dice the tomatoes and add them to the bowl. Finely chop the chilli (you can halve it and scrape out the seeds and pith if you prefer less heat), and peel and finely chop the garlic. Pick the mint leaves and thinly slice them. Add the garlic, chilli and mint to the bowl. Grate in the lime zest and squeeze in the juice. Add a pinch of salt and pepper and 1 tbsp olive oil. Stir to make a salsa.

15. Carve the chicken and serve it with the tomato and sweetcorn salsa on the side.