All Article Properties:
{
"objectType": "Article",
"id": "2949082",
"signature": "Article:2949082",
"url": "https://prod.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-10-29-chutney-chicken-flattie-a-family-favourite-skewered-and-braaied/",
"shorturl": "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2949082",
"slug": "chutney-chicken-flattie-a-family-favourite-skewered-and-braaied",
"contentType": {
"id": "1",
"name": "Article",
"slug": "article",
"editor": "default"
},
"views": 0,
"comments": 0,
"preview_limit": null,
"rating": 0,
"excludedFromGoogleSearchEngine": 0,
"status": "publish",
"title": "Chutney chicken flattie — a family favourite, skewered and braaied",
"firstPublished": "2025-10-29 13:30:21",
"lastUpdate": "2025-10-31 16:18:34",
"categories": [
{
"id": "1825",
"name": "Maverick Life",
"signature": "Category:1825",
"slug": "maverick-life",
"typeId": {
"typeId": "1",
"name": "Daily Maverick",
"slug": "",
"includeInIssue": "0",
"shortened_domain": "",
"stylesheetClass": "",
"domain": "prod.dailymaverick.co.za",
"articleUrlPrefix": "",
"access_groups": "[]",
"locale": "",
"preview_limit": null
},
"parentId": null,
"parent": [],
"image": "",
"cover": "",
"logo": "",
"paid": "0",
"objectType": "Category",
"url": "https://prod.dailymaverick.co.za/category/maverick-life/",
"cssCode": "",
"template": "default",
"tagline": "",
"link_param": null,
"description": "",
"metaDescription": "",
"order": "0",
"pageId": null,
"articlesCount": null,
"allowComments": "1",
"accessType": "freecount",
"status": "1",
"children": [],
"cached": true
},
{
"id": "119012",
"name": "TGIFood",
"signature": "Category:119012",
"slug": "tgifood",
"parentId": null,
"parent": [],
"image": "",
"cover": "",
"logo": "",
"paid": "0",
"objectType": "Category",
"url": "https://prod.dailymaverick.co.za/category/tgifood/",
"cssCode": "",
"template": "default",
"tagline": "",
"link_param": null,
"description": "",
"metaDescription": "",
"order": "0",
"pageId": null,
"articlesCount": null,
"allowComments": "1",
"accessType": "freecount",
"status": "1",
"children": [],
"cached": true
}
],
"access_groups": [],
"access_control": false,
"counted_in_paywall": true,
"content_length": 1524,
"contents": "<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We love our chutney chicken, right? And I’m a big fan of a spatchcock chicken, also known as a flattie. If you’re feeding a crowd, just prepare an extra one (or two).</span></p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Oh, and be generous: chutney chicken is very moreish, and you wouldn’t want to run out while people are staring at you with hangdog countenances, desperately hoping for seconds that you haven’t supplied.</span></p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That’s my theory anyway; I’ve been told I over-cater, even that I “feed an army” — but strangely, there’s rarely anything left over. </span></p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I love the fact that the ingredients are all items from a South African store cupboard or fridge — one</span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> eie,</span></i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Mrs H.S.B’s chutney, All Gold tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce (it isn’t South African but in a funny way it is), and mayo. Soy sauce was not in older versions of chutney chicken, but it is a sensible addition, adding a mysterious “something”.</span></p><p><b>Ingredients</b></p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1 whole medium chicken, about 1.8kg</span></p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1 cup of Mrs H.S. Ball’s chutney</span></p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1 cup of mayonnaise</span></p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">⅓ cup All Gold tomato sauce</span></p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce</span></p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1 Tbsp soy sauce</span></p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1 medium white onion, peeled and grated</span></p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2 garlic cloves, finely chopped</span></p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Salt and black pepper to taste</span></p><p><b>Method</b></p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To spatchcock a chicken, cut along both sides of the spine with a pair of very sharp, strong scissors or using a very sharp knife. The spine is discarded but can be used to make chicken stock. </span></p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Turn the chicken over, breast side up, and push down hard with both hands on top of the chest. Bones below will snap and it will become flattened, hence chicken “flattie”. I also snip off the wing tips. </span><a href=\"</p><p><div class=\"noReload embed inlineVideo\" style=\"text-align: center\"><iframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https://www.youtube.com/embed/pod4x5NJoYI?rel=0&enablejsapi=1&origin=https://www.dailymaverick.co.za\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></p><p> style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here’s a helpful video</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> from the BBC.</span></p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In a bowl, mix all of the basting ingredients together (i.e. everything except the chicken).</span></p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Using your fingers, prise under the edges of the chicken breasts, and also under the thigh/leg skin.</span></p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Try to find a smooth-edged spoon, such as a small wooden one, to avoid damaging the skin as you work. Or use a silicone spatula. Take spoonfuls of the baste and push it under the skin, then use your hands to massage the skin above it to push the baste to all corners. </span></p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This should use up most of the baste. Smear the remainder on top of the skin, then season the outside of the bird with salt and pepper.</span></p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I use two skewers to secure the bird, which makes it easy to handle. Push one skewer in through the thickest part of one thigh, then across to the opposite side and through the breast until it emerges at the other side. Repeat from the other thigh towards the breast on its opposite side.</span></p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once you’re ready to cook it and have plenty of hot coals (with more being burnt), place the chicken skin-side up in a clean folding grid and braai it, turning every five minutes, until it is cooked to the bone.</span></p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This should take 50 minutes to an hour, but it’s important to keep turning, and to add more coals beneath when necessary.</span></p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Serve with rice and/or a crunchy salad. </span><b>DM</b></p><p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tony Jackman is twice winner of the Galliova Food Writer of the Year award, in 2021 and 2023.</span></i></p><p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Follow Tony Jackman on Instagram </span></i><a href=\"https://www.instagram.com/tony_jackman_cooks/\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">@tony_jackman_cooks</span></i></a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.</span></i></p><p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This dish is photographed on a plate by </span></i><a href=\"https://www.mervyngers.com/\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mervyn Gers Ceramics</span></i></a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.</span></i></p>",
"teaser": "Chutney chicken flattie — a family favourite, skewered and braaied",
"externalUrl": "",
"sponsor": null,
"authors": [],
"description": "",
"keywords": [
{
"type": "Keyword",
"data": {
"keywordId": "9366",
"name": "Chicken",
"url": "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article_tag//",
"slug": "chicken",
"description": "",
"articlesCount": 0,
"replacedWith": null,
"display_name": "Chicken",
"translations": null,
"collection_id": null,
"image": ""
}
},
{
"type": "Keyword",
"data": {
"keywordId": "16092",
"name": "Recipe",
"url": "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article_tag//",
"slug": "recipe",
"description": "",
"articlesCount": 0,
"replacedWith": null,
"display_name": "Recipe",
"translations": null,
"collection_id": null,
"image": ""
}
},
{
"type": "Keyword",
"data": {
"keywordId": "16095",
"name": "Tony Jackman",
"url": "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article_tag//",
"slug": "tony-jackman",
"description": "",
"articlesCount": 0,
"replacedWith": null,
"display_name": "Tony Jackman",
"translations": null,
"collection_id": null,
"image": ""
}
},
{
"type": "Keyword",
"data": {
"keywordId": "121394",
"name": "TGIFood",
"url": "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article_tag//",
"slug": "tgifood",
"description": "",
"articlesCount": 0,
"replacedWith": null,
"display_name": "TGIFood",
"translations": null,
"collection_id": null,
"image": ""
}
},
{
"type": "Keyword",
"data": {
"keywordId": "346046",
"name": "spatchcock chicken",
"url": "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article_tag//",
"slug": "spatchcock-chicken",
"description": "",
"articlesCount": 0,
"replacedWith": null,
"display_name": "spatchcock chicken",
"translations": null,
"collection_id": null,
"image": ""
}
},
{
"type": "Keyword",
"data": {
"keywordId": "349039",
"name": "TGIFood recipes",
"url": "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article_tag//",
"slug": "tgifood-recipes",
"description": "",
"articlesCount": 0,
"replacedWith": null,
"display_name": "TGIFood recipes",
"translations": null,
"collection_id": null,
"image": ""
}
},
{
"type": "Keyword",
"data": {
"keywordId": "426894",
"name": "Galliova Food Writer 2021 and 2023",
"url": "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article_tag//",
"slug": "galliova-food-writer-2021-and-2023",
"description": "",
"articlesCount": 0,
"replacedWith": null,
"display_name": "Galliova Food Writer 2021 and 2023",
"translations": null,
"collection_id": null,
"image": ""
}
},
{
"type": "Keyword",
"data": {
"keywordId": "440227",
"name": "chutney chicken flattie",
"url": "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article_tag//",
"slug": "chutney-chicken-flattie",
"description": "",
"articlesCount": 0,
"replacedWith": null,
"display_name": "chutney chicken flattie",
"translations": null,
"collection_id": null,
"image": ""
}
},
{
"type": "Keyword",
"data": {
"keywordId": "440228",
"name": "flattie",
"url": "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article_tag//",
"slug": "flattie",
"description": "",
"articlesCount": 0,
"replacedWith": null,
"display_name": "flattie",
"translations": null,
"collection_id": null,
"image": ""
}
}
],
"short_summary": null,
"source": null,
"related": [],
"options": [],
"attachments": [
{
"id": "3082626",
"name": "chutney-chicken-flattie",
"description": "Tony Jackman’s chutney chicken flattie. (Photo: Tony Jackman)\n",
"focal": "50% 50%",
"width": 0,
"height": 0,
"url": "https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/chutney-chicken-flattie.jpg",
"transforms": [
{
"x": "200",
"y": "100",
"url": "https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/mXEHzaqhu7bDFL9bwuqirNizvsY=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif()/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/chutney-chicken-flattie.jpg"
},
{
"x": "450",
"y": "0",
"url": "https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/4h2YSH6367aejASlSCX0-BKUUwc=/450x0/smart/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/chutney-chicken-flattie.jpg"
},
{
"x": "800",
"y": "0",
"url": "https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/Jep6_OwSA9hWFjeXYXMemxgWZdE=/800x0/smart/filters:strip_exif()/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/chutney-chicken-flattie.jpg"
},
{
"x": "1200",
"y": "0",
"url": "https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/kBLJ8RuGpiWqw8Gd-lUQ8nyJibY=/1200x0/smart/filters:strip_exif()/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/chutney-chicken-flattie.jpg"
},
{
"x": "1600",
"y": "0",
"url": "https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/iYH7Y-An9OWXeT9MVTyOEG2ZEdw=/1600x0/smart/filters:strip_exif()/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/chutney-chicken-flattie.jpg"
}
],
"url_thumbnail": "https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/mXEHzaqhu7bDFL9bwuqirNizvsY=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif()/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/chutney-chicken-flattie.jpg",
"url_medium": "https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/4h2YSH6367aejASlSCX0-BKUUwc=/450x0/smart/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/chutney-chicken-flattie.jpg",
"url_large": "https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/Jep6_OwSA9hWFjeXYXMemxgWZdE=/800x0/smart/filters:strip_exif()/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/chutney-chicken-flattie.jpg",
"url_xl": "https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/kBLJ8RuGpiWqw8Gd-lUQ8nyJibY=/1200x0/smart/filters:strip_exif()/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/chutney-chicken-flattie.jpg",
"url_xxl": "https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/iYH7Y-An9OWXeT9MVTyOEG2ZEdw=/1600x0/smart/filters:strip_exif()/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/chutney-chicken-flattie.jpg",
"type": "image"
}
],
"inline_attachments": [
{
"id": "2949119",
"name": "chutney-chicken-flattie",
"description": "Tony Jackman’s chutney chicken flattie. (Photo: Tony Jackman)\n",
"url": "https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/chutney-chicken-flattie.jpg",
"type": "inline_image"
}
],
"summary": "Our beloved chutney chicken comes to the braai side with this adaptation which sees it skewered and turned into a chicken flattie.\r\n",
"introduction": "",
"template_type": null,
"dm_custom_section_label": "Maverick Life, TGIFood",
"dm-key-theme": null,
"dm-article-theme": null,
"dm-user-need": null,
"dm-disable-comments": false,
"elements": [],
"seo": {
"search_title": "Chutney chicken flattie — a family favourite, skewered and braaied",
"search_description": "<!-- WP --><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We love our chutney chicken, right? And I’m a big fan of a spatchcock chicken, also known as a flattie. If you’re feeding a crowd, just prepare an extra one ",
"social_title": "Chutney chicken flattie — a family favourite, skewered and braaied",
"social_description": "<!-- WP --><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We love our chutney chicken, right? And I’m a big fan of a spatchcock chicken, also known as a flattie. If you’re feeding a crowd, just prepare an extra one ",
"social_image": ""
},
"time_to_read": 57,
"cached": true
} 
Tony Jackman’s chutney chicken flattie. (Photo: Tony Jackman)