Recipes

Cook free-range chicken the way it deserves.

Simple, flavour-first recipes built for ODM whole birds and cuts — from Sunday roast to weekend braai.

From our kitchen

Five ways to serve ODM chicken.

Free-range birds reward patience and good seasoning. These recipes keep the method clear so the chicken stays the hero.

Roast chicken on a tray

Whole bird · Serves 4–6

Sunday lemon & herb roast

A classic roast that shows off free-range flavour — crisp skin, juicy meat, and a bright citrus finish.

Prep 15 min Cook 1 hr 15 min Difficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 1 ODM whole free-range chicken (about 1.6–1.8 kg)
  • 2 lemons · 1 garlic bulb · fresh rosemary & thyme
  • 3 tbsp olive oil · 1 tsp salt · black pepper
  • 1 onion, quartered · optional: potatoes for the tray

Method

  1. Heat the oven to 200°C. Pat the chicken dry and place in a roasting tray.
  2. Rub with oil, salt and pepper. Stuff the cavity with lemon halves, garlic and herbs.
  3. Scatter onion (and potatoes, if using) around the bird. Roast for about 1 hour 15 minutes, basting once.
  4. Rest 15 minutes before carving. Spoon tray juices over the meat.
Spatchcock braai chicken — whole butterflied bird, golden and charred

Whole bird · Serves 4

Spatchcock braai chicken

Butterflied for even cooking on the coals — smoky, golden, and built for weekend sharing.

Prep 20 min Cook 40–50 min Difficulty Medium

Ingredients

  • 1 ODM whole free-range chicken, spatchcocked
  • 2 tbsp olive oil · 1 tbsp smoked paprika
  • 2 tsp garlic powder · 1 tsp chilli flakes (optional)
  • Juice of 1 lemon · salt & pepper

Method

  1. Mix oil, paprika, garlic, chilli, lemon, salt and pepper. Rub all over the chicken. Rest 30 minutes.
  2. Braai skin-side up over medium coals, turning carefully, until cooked through (about 40–50 minutes).
  3. Rest 10 minutes, then cut into portions. Serve with chakalaka or a crisp salad.
Chicken thighs with spicy glaze

Thighs · Serves 4

Homestyle peri-peri thighs

Sticky, spicy and weeknight-friendly — using ODM free-range thighs for richer flavour.

Prep 15 min + marinade Cook 35 min Difficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 8 ODM free-range chicken thighs
  • 3 tbsp peri-peri sauce or paste · 2 tbsp oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed · 1 tsp honey
  • Juice of ½ lemon · salt

Method

  1. Mix peri-peri, oil, garlic, honey, lemon and salt. Coat the thighs and marinate at least 1 hour (overnight is better).
  2. Bake at 200°C for 30–35 minutes, turning once, until browned and cooked through.
  3. Rest briefly. Serve with rice, roasted veg, or soft rolls.
One-pan garlic chicken with roasted vegetables

Mixed cuts · Serves 4

One-pan garlic chicken & vegetables

Minimal washing up — chicken, seasonal veg, and tray juices in one go.

Prep 15 min Cook 45 min Difficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 1 kg ODM free-range chicken pieces (thighs & drumsticks)
  • 400 g baby potatoes · 2 peppers · 1 red onion
  • 4 garlic cloves · 3 tbsp olive oil · mixed herbs
  • Salt, pepper · optional: cherry tomatoes

Method

  1. Heat oven to 200°C. Toss potatoes, peppers and onion with oil, garlic, herbs, salt and pepper on a large tray.
  2. Nestle chicken pieces among the vegetables. Roast 40–45 minutes until chicken is golden and cooked through.
  3. Finish with a squeeze of lemon. Spoon pan juices over everything before serving.
A plate of soft pap served with a saucy chicken stew and cabbage

Mixed cuts · Serves 4

Chicken, pap & cabbage

The plate South Africans love — soft mieliepap, a rich saucy chicken stew, and braised cabbage on the side. Simple, hearty, and made for sharing.

Prep 20 min Cook 1 hr Difficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 1 kg ODM free-range chicken pieces (thighs, drumsticks & wings)
  • 2 onions · 2 tomatoes · 2 tbsp tomato paste · 2 tsp curry powder or braai spice
  • 2 cups mielie meal (maize meal) · 3–4 cups water · salt
  • ½ cabbage, shredded · 1 grated carrot · 3 tbsp oil · black pepper

Method

  1. Chicken stew: Brown the chicken in oil, then add onions, tomatoes, tomato paste and spice. Pour in a cup of water, cover, and simmer 35–40 minutes until tender and saucy.
  2. Pap: Bring salted water to a boil, stir in the mielie meal, then cover and steam on low heat 25–30 minutes, stirring now and then, until soft and fluffy.
  3. Cabbage: Fry onion in oil, add cabbage and carrot with a splash of water, season, and cook 8–10 minutes until just tender.
  4. Dish up a scoop of pap with the chicken stew and cabbage alongside. Spoon extra sauce over the pap and serve hot.

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