Why not try this great way of cooking our whole chicken. This recipe uses our oprganic chicken but you can also use it with our free range birds as well.

Serves 4–6

Prep: 20 minutes + resting
Marinade: 4 hours or overnight
BBQ cooking: approximately 1½–2 hours, depending on the bird and BBQ

Ingredients

The chicken

• 1 Springfield Organics Organic Whole Chicken, approximately 2 kg
• 2 lemons
• 1 whole garlic bulb
• 4 sprigs rosemary
• 6 sprigs thyme
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp sea salt
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp honey

For the BBQ

• Charcoal or gas BBQ with a rotisserie attachment
• A drip tray
• A handful of soaked wood chips, such as apple or oak, if using charcoal

Optional finishing butter

• 50 g butter, softened
• 1 garlic clove, finely grated
• 1 tsp chopped rosemary
• Zest of ½ lemon
• Pinch of sea salt

👨🍳 Method

1. Prepare the chicken

Remove the chicken from its packaging and take out the giblets — these can be saved for stock or gravy. 

Pat the chicken very dry with kitchen paper. This is important for getting beautifully crisp skin.

If you have time, place the uncovered chicken in the fridge for 4–12 hours. This dries the skin further and helps create that fantastic rotisserie finish.

2. Make the herb marinade

Finely grate the zest of one lemon and combine with:

• olive oil
• salt
• pepper
• smoked paprika
• Dijon mustard
• honey
• crushed garlic from ½ the garlic bulb
• chopped rosemary and thyme

Rub the mixture generously all over the chicken, including underneath the skin over the breast where you can.

Cut the remaining lemon in half and place it inside the cavity with the remaining garlic, rosemary and thyme.

3. Truss the chicken

Tie the legs together with butcher's string and tuck the wings underneath the bird.

This keeps the chicken compact and helps it cook evenly while turning on the rotisserie.

4. Prepare the BBQ

Set your BBQ up for indirect cooking.

You want the chicken to rotate beside, rather than directly over, the main heat source.

Aim for approximately 180°C inside the BBQ.

Place a drip tray underneath the chicken to catch the juices.

5. Get it on the rotisserie

Secure the chicken firmly onto the rotisserie spit, making sure it is balanced.

Start the motor and let the chicken rotate.

Close the lid.

6. Slow-roast

Cook for approximately 1½–2 hours for a 2 kg chicken.

Keep the BBQ around 175–185°C and check occasionally that the skin isn't becoming too dark.

The rotating spit should gradually produce wonderfully even browning and crisp skin.

7. Make the finishing butter

While the chicken cooks, mix together:

50 g softened butter + grated garlic + lemon zest + rosemary + a pinch of salt.

During the final 15 minutes, brush the chicken with the butter once or twice.

This gives the skin a gorgeous glossy, aromatic finish.

8. Check it's cooked

The most important part: check the thickest part of the chicken with a meat thermometer.

The chicken should reach at least 75°C in the thickest part, avoiding contact with the bone.

If it isn't there yet, keep the rotisserie turning until it reaches a safe temperature.

9. Rest — don't skip this!

Remove the chicken from the spit and loosely cover with foil.

Rest for 15–20 minutes.

This allows the juices to redistribute, giving you much juicier breast meat.

🍋 The Springfield BBQ Serving Idea

I would serve this as a proper Springfield Organics outdoor feast:

• Crispy rotisserie chicken
• Charred corn on the cob
• BBQ new potatoes
• Grilled asparagus or tenderstem broccoli
• Rocket, tomato & avocado salad
• Lemon wedges
• Homemade garlic & herb mayonnaise

And don't throw away the carcass — it would make a fantastic chicken stock. Springfield Organics specifically highlights the giblets and generous leftovers as useful for stocks, gravies, soups and sandwiches.

⭐ My signature Springfield glaze

For the last 5–10 minutes, mix:

1 tbsp honey + 1 tbsp lemon juice + 1 tsp Dijon mustard + ½ tsp smoked paprika

Brush it lightly over the chicken while it's turning.

It caramelises beautifully without overpowering the flavour of the organic chicken.