Can I Use A Spatchcock Chicken Instead Of Thighs For Chicken And Pea Traybake?

Our answer

Nigella's Chicken And Pea Traybake (from AT MY TABLE) cooks chicken thighs on a bed of leeks and frozen peas. As the chicken cooks, the peas become soft and sweet and the leeks take on a little caramelization. You need a fairly large pan so that the peas and leeks can sit in a single layer.

A spatchcocked (butterflied) chicken has the backbone removed and is then flattened out. You can spatchcock the chicken yourself or ask your butcher to do it for you. A spatchcock chicken cooks fairly quickly (we would aim for a bird approximately 1.5kg/3 pounds in weight), so the cooking time should not change and when you stir the peas and leeks after the first 45 minutes of cooking you should lift up the chicken to make sure that the vegetables move freely around the pan. For instructions on how to spatchcock a chicken see the introduction to Nigella's Spatchcock Chicken With Miso And Sesame Seeds recipe.