Piri-piri chicken with asparagus and whipped ricotta

Method

1. To make the piri-piri chicken, preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.

2. Spread all of the chillies out on a baking tray in a single layer. Roast until browned and tender, for about 10–12 minutes. Transfer to a plate and allow to cool.

3. Wearing disposable gloves, remove the stalks and roughly chop the chillies.

4. In a small saucepan, combine the chopped chillies, garlic, bay leaves, smoked paprika, oil, vinegar, sugar and 1½ tsp of salt. Bring to a simmer over a medium heat and cook for 3 minutes to infuse, then set aside to cool to room temperature.

5. Transfer the mixture to a blender and blend until completely smooth, taste and adjust the seasoning with salt, sugar and vinegar if needed.

6. The night before you plan to cook, use poultry scissors to spatchcock the chicken and then halve it through the breastbone.

7. Flatten each breast as much as possible by bearing down with the heel of your palm, then generously season all sides of the chicken with salt. Brush about 180ml/6fl oz of the piri piri sauce all over the chicken with a pastry brush. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

8. Let the chicken sit at room temperature for at least an hour before cooking.

9. Preheat the oven to 240C/220C Fan/Gas 7. Lay the chicken skin-side up on a baking tray, brushing once with more of the sauce at the start of cooking and a second time after about 30 minutes.

10. Roast until the skin is burnished and crisp and the thigh and breast meat are cooked through, about 45–50 minutes. (The chicken is cooked through when the juices run clear with no trace of pink when the thickest part is pierced with a skewer.) Set the chicken aside to rest in a warm place while you cook the asparagus.

11. Meanwhile, to make the salad dressing, place the shallot in a fine-mesh sieve and quickly rinse with cold water. Allow to drain, place in a medium bowl, add the vinegar and 1 tablespoon of warm water, and let the shallot mixture sit for 2 minutes.

12. Whisk in the oil, honey, both mustards, thyme, garlic, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust the salt and vinegar as needed.

13. To make the asparagus and ricotta fried bread, bring a medium pan of salted water to the boil and cook the asparagus spears for 3–4 minutes. Drain and dry with a clean tea towel on a baking tray. Toss with a tablespoon of the olive oil and lemon zest.

14. Drain the ricotta and whip in a food processor with a large pinch of salt for 30–60 seconds until smooth. Set aside.

15. Place a frying pan (ideally cast iron) over a medium-high heat and add enough olive oil to coat the bottom generously. Lay a slice of bread on top and once covered with oil, flip, so the second side is also saturated. Keep rotating on the heat to ensure even browning and remove when sufficiently toasted. Repeat with the remaining bread.

16. Top the toasted bread with the ricotta, asparagus, salad dressing (to taste) and extra lemon zest. Serve alongside the piri-piri chicken, using the ricotta toast to mop up any bits of sauce.