Grilled Lemon Rosemary and Garlic Flattened Chicken

Recently when Bill, Debbie and their son Matthew came for dinner, I grilled vegetables from my garden and this chicken that my neighbour raised, for dinner.  With the exception of the lemon and olive oil, everything I served for dinner was local.  

I first made this chicken while camping in Killbear Provincial Park a number of years ago. We arrived at our campsite late in the day and immediately started the fire after pitching the tent.  One of the great things about the older campgrounds in the provincial parks is that they have fire pits with grills to cook on.  Friends of ours were camping the first time and I was making dinner.  I prepped the chicken the night before at home, threw it in a freezer bag, froze it over night and packed it in the cooler for the trip north.  Small new potatoes, cut in half, thrown in the cast iron pan with some olive oil, coarse salt and tyme, and fresh corn on the cob that we picked up from a road side stand on the way north completed the dinner.

This summer has been so dry that there is a fire ban and so have had to use
the gas barbecue which is almost as good, but lacks the smokey taste of the fire. 

• 1 whole chicken
• 1 large head of garlic
• 2 lemons
• 1 bunch of rosemary
• 1 bunch of Italian parsley
•  olive oil
•  salt and pepper
• 1 teaspoon of coarse sea salt
• 1 large freezer bag

Cut the whole chicken down the centre of the breast and open flat.  Clean inside ribs, and salt.  Smash garlic cloves with side of knife and continue to mash with the side of knife until the garlic is paste like.  Rub half of the garlic into ribs of the chicken.  Finely chop rosemary and mix with the remaining mashed garlic. Lift up skin over breast and stuff rosemary and garlic mixture between breast and skin.  Carefully place skin back in place. Generously salt and pepper skin.  Place in large freezer bag with the juice of a lemon and refrigerate until ready to cook, a minimum of one hour, but overnight is better.  Grate skin of lemon and mix equal parts sea salt, and save for when chicken comes off grill.

Fifteen minutes before cooking turn the barbecue on high.  If you are using a fire, build a good bed of coals, and test heat by holding hand over fire. You should be able to hold it for the count of 3.  When the grill is hot, paint the grill with olive oil and place chicken, rib side down in the centre of the grill.   Place something heavy on top, like a cast iron frying pan to flatten the chicken. Turn grill down to medium.  Leave for 15 to 20 minutes depending on size of chicken and temperature of grill. Flip the chicken and weigh down again.  Cook for another 15 to 20 minutes and the skin is crispy and golden and juice runs clear.  Sprinkle lemon zest and salt mixture over chicken and tent and let rest for 10 minutes.

Finely chop 1 branch of rosemary, 2 branches of parsley and 1 clove of garlic.  Mix with 3 tablespoons of olive oil and juice from one lemon.  Serve with chicken.