For ease of preparation and family appeal, roasting will always be the preferred cooking method. A spatchcocked chicken looks set to be barbecued but cooking through to the joints is notoriously difficult and we don't want any health hazards. Rest the chicken on a rack so that it's not roasting in a puddle of chicken fat.

Its fresh flavours are reminiscent of summer grills. Fitting then that you serve the chicken over fragrant coconut rice with some stir fried vegetables - a welcome change to the roast potatoes and root vegetables don’t you think?

Ingredients - serves 4 1.8kg chicken olive oil salt, pepper herb butter: 125g unsalted butter, softened juice 1/2 lime 1 clove garlic, crushed & finely chopped 1 green chilli - seeded & finely chopped 25g coriander leaf, finely chopped

Preheat the oven to 200°C
To spatchcock the bird it's best to split the chicken along the backbone with either a large kitchen knife or scissors. Flatten the chicken by pressing down on the breastbone with one hand on top of the other - you will hear the bone crack. Now pull the jegs gently into the knock-kneed position you see in the photograph and secure the flattened position by pushing 2 skewers through from one side to the other. Brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper and transfer to the oven. The chicken should be basted at least once for a crisp skinned result and you should test for cooked after 1hour and 10 minutes - it may need a few minutes longer.

For the herb butter - press all the ingredients together with the flat of the blade of a large kitchen knife, roll into a cylinder and wrap with cling film. Refrigerate. Cut discs off to serve over roasted chicken and keep the remainder in the freezer for another day.