Sometimes I just don’t feel like following a recipe and will just wing it based on ingredients that I like, and that go together—at least in my opinion. This Whole Grilled Chicken recipe is one of those times. You may remember my blog on Orange Juice Chicken (you can find it posted under the “Sentimental Favorites” tab.) I’d say this recipe is a more zesty and grilled twist on that formula.

At the time (meaning last summer), our herb garden was brimming with fresh rosemary, parsley and tarragon so that germinated the concept for the rub. The herbs were combined with citrus, garlic and olive oil in a mini food processor to create a paste. Although during this maiden voyage, I used the juice of an entire orange and a whole lemon which made the rub quite thin, so in the ingredients listed below, I cut back the amount of juice to 1 tablespoon for each fruit.

Just look at this gorgeous grilled bird… Perfecto!

Ingredients

• 4-5 lb. whole chicken
• 2 Tbsp. fresh tarragon, minced
• 2 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, minced
• 2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, minced
• 4 large cloves of garlic, minced
• Zest of one orange, plus 1 Tbsp. juice
• Zest of one lemon, plus 1 Tbsp. juice
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 Tsp. salt
• 1/2 Tsp. fresh ground black pepper

Directions

Massage spice rub all over chicken, inside and out. Lift up skin over breast and rub spice rub directly onto meat.

Light grill and turn all burners to high; cover and heat grill 15 minutes. Turn off all but one burner. Place chicken, breast-side down, over cool part of grill; close lid and grill-roast for 35 minutes. Turn chicken breast-side up, so that the leg and wing that were facing away from lit burner are now facing toward it. Close lid and continue grill-roasting until thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 170 to 175 degrees, 30 to 40 minutes longer.

Now that the weather is conducive to grilling again, go ahead and get creative with your rendition of this tasty bird!