Spice-rubbed spatchcocked poussin | Daily Mail Online

The joy of a poussin is that it cooks in half the time of a normal-sized chicken. Spatchcocking a poussin reduces the cooking time further still and makes for a wonderful, evenly cooked bird with lovely crisp skin and juicy, tender meat. If that’s not fast food, then I don’t know what is.  

Serves 2-4

2 poussins

For the marinade

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tbsp dried marjoram

1 tbsp coriander seeds, toasted and ground (see Tip)

1 tsp chilli flakes

1 tsp ground black pepper

3 tbsp olive oil

juice of ½ lemon

Maldon sea salt flakes

To serve

bread

rocket salad

• Line a baking tray with baking paper.

•  To spatchcock the poussins, place each bird in turn breast side down on a chopping board. Using a good pair of kitchen scissors, cut down either side of the backbone then remove the bone. Lay breast side up on the prepared tray and gently press down on each bird with both hands until it is as flat as possible.

•  Mix all the marinade ingredients together in a small bowl or jug, then pour over the poussins and rub in all over. Cover the tray with clingfilm and leave to marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour, or overnight, if liked.

•  Preheat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7.

•  Roast the birds for about 30 minutes or until cooked through and nicely browned with crispy skin – the juices should run clear when the thickest part of the meat is pierced with the tip of a sharp knife. Remove from the oven and leave to rest for 10 minutes before serving with the bread and a rocket salad.

TIP To toast spices, heat a dry frying pan over a medium heat and add the spices. Shake the pan for a minute or so until the spices release their aroma. Transfer the toasted seeds to a pestle and mortar and grind to a coarse powder.