Tag Archives: grilled chicken

Peruvian Grill-Roasted Chicken

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As we were eating this fantastic meal, The Hubs declared “If this is how they eat in Peru, I’m moving there.” Needless to say, we didn’t up and sell the house, but we swore we were going to make this riff on beer can chicken again—real soon. If you are feeding a crowd, it’s easy enough to fit two birds on the grill.

Cooks Illustrated tells us “In Peru, maestros polleros, or poultry masters, make the wildly popular chickens known as Pollo a la Brasa by grill-roasting chickens on rotisseries that spin lazily over crackling wood fires to produce meat that’s encased in tawny, paper-thin skin and dripping with juices.”

This version of Pollo a la Brasa calls for marinating the bird in a beer-based marinade that also includes ingredients commonly used in pollerías today: soy sauce for salinity; lime juice and mustard for brightness; and garlic, dried thyme, black pepper, and cumin for earthy, savory depth. Make sure to plan ahead, because the chicken needs to marinate for 24 hours.

Aji Amarillo (yellow chile) and huacatay (an herb that’s often called black mint) add spark and depth to many of the sauces that accompany Pollo a la Brasa. Vibrant Aji Amarillo gives off fruity, habanero-like vibes with moderate heat. Huacatay, on the other hand, is evocative of vegetables and freshly cut grass with menthol undertones. Both multi-use sauces are easily sourced online.

Instead of a rotisserie to rotate the bird horizontally, a half-empty beer can is used to prop it up vertically. Then position the propped-up bird in the center of a kettle grill outfitted with a split fire. The key is to rotate the chicken a quarter turn every 15 minutes. While not the constant movement of a rotisserie, about five turns produces remarkably succulent, smoky meat packaged in well-rendered, uniformly mahogany skin. (We purchased a 4-pack of pastes from Amazon which included both huacatay and aji amarillo.)

Peruvian Grill-Roasted Chicken

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Ingredients

  • 1 12-oz. can beer, divide
  • 2 Tbsp. finely grated garlic
  • 2 Tbsp. lime juice
  • 2 Tbsp. soy sauce
  • 2 tsp. table salt
  • 2 tsp. yellow mustard
  • 1 tsp. pepper
  • 1 tsp. dried thyme
  • 1 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1 4- to 4½-lb. whole chicken, giblets discarded
  • 1 cup wood chips
  • 1 13 by 9-inch disposable aluminum roasting pan

Directions

  1. Whisk ½ cup beer, garlic, lime juice, soy sauce, salt, mustard, pepper, thyme, and cumin together in liquid measuring cup. Refrigerate remaining beer, still in can, until ready to grill. Using your fingers or handle of wooden spoon, gently loosen skin covering chicken breast and leg quarters. Using paring knife, poke 10 to 15 holes in fat deposits on skin of back. Tuck wingtips underneath chicken.
  2. Place chicken in bowl with cavity end facing up. Slowly pour marinade between skin and meat and rub marinade inside cavity, outside skin, and under skin to distribute. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours, turning chicken halfway through marinating.
  3. Using large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil, wrap wood chips in 8 by 4½-inch foil packet. (Make sure chips do not poke holes in packet.) Cut 2 evenly spaced 2-inch slits in top of packet.
  4. Place beer can in large, shallow bowl. Spray can all over with vegetable oil spray. Slide chicken over can so drumsticks reach down to bottom of can and chicken stands upright; set aside at room temperature while preparing grill.
  5. FOR A GAS GRILL: Remove cooking grate and place wood chip packet directly on one of outside burners. Set grate in place; turn all burners to high; cover; and heat grill until hot and wood chips are smoking, about 15 minutes. Turn 2 outside burners to medium and turn off center burner. (Adjust outside burners as needed to maintain grill temperature between 350 and 375 degrees.)
  6. Scrape cooking grate clean with grill brush. Transfer chicken with can to center of cooking grate with wings facing piles of coals (or outer burners on gas grill) at 3 and 9 o’clock (ends of drumsticks should rest on grate to help steady bird). Cover grill and cook for 15 minutes.
  7. Using tongs and wad of paper towels, rotate chicken 90 degrees so wings are at 6 and 12 o’clock. Continue cooking and turning chicken at 15-minute intervals until thickest part of thigh registers 170 to 175 degrees, 1 hour to 1¼ hours longer.
  8. With large wad of paper towels in each hand, transfer chicken and can to clean bowl, keeping can upright; let rest for 15 minutes. Using wads of paper towels (or gloves), carefully lift chicken off can and onto cutting board. Discard can. Carve chicken, transfer to platter, and serve.
  9. Not part of the original recipe, we decided to defat all of the flavorful drippings in the aluminum tray and serve alongside the platter of chicken.

Aji Verde Sauce

This Peruvian Green Chile Sauce, also called Aji Verde, truly makes the meal, so don’t skip this part. Simply blend the ingredients together in the blender. So easy! And it can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Ingredients

  • ½ cup  mayonnaise
  • 1 jalapeño, stemmed and seeded, coarsely chopped
  • 1 garlic clove. minced
  • 2 Tbsp. grated cotija cheese
  • 3 Tbsp. fresh minced cilantro
  • 1 Tbsp. jarred huacatay paste
  • 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a blender or small food processor until smooth, about 1 minute.

Aji Amarrillo Sauce

Another sauce option which we made the second time we served it with two chickens.

Ingredients

  • ½ cup  mayonnaise
  • 2 Tbsp. aji amarillo paste
  • 1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 tsp. jarred huacatay paste

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a blender or small food processor until smooth, about 1 minute.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Recipe by David Pazmiño for Cook’s Illustrated

Grilled Pesto Chicken Breasts

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This pesto chicken recipe takes a three-pronged approach, compliments of Cook’s Country. Starting with a batch of homemade pesto, a portion is thickened with extra Parmesan cheese to make a stuffing for the bone-in, skin-on breasts. A cheese-less portion of the pesto functions as a marinade, flavoring the outside of the meat. Finally, cheesy pesto, thinned out to sauce consistency, is served with the chicken for one final hit of fresh basil flavor.

I am a white meat fan when it comes to chicken, while The Hubs prefers the dark meat which he believes to be juicier. While I can’t always argue with that logic, I do know that with the skin and bones of the breast pieces intact, the more succulent the meat will be.

Our poultry breasts weighed in at 15 ounces or so, a bit more than the 12-ounce pieces listed in the ingredients. In fact, one of them was larger than the other three and actually took an additional 7 minutes to come to temperature, so keep a close eyeball on the internal temps with an instant-read thermometer, especially if they are varying sizes.

Brimming with fresh basil, this recipe was a perfect opportunity to cut it back mid-season from our herb garden, encouraging robustness for the remainder of the season. And while the directions indicate to marinate the breasts in the pesto sauce in a bowl for one hour, I let them get happy in a large glass baking dish for three hours in the refrigerator wrapped tightly with saran wrap.

Results? The Hubs LOVED them! That’s big praise coming from a guy who steadfastly prefers the dark meat of the thighs and legs. He couldn’t believe how moist the white meat remained and how flavorful the overall pesto approach was. “Let’s make this for company” he sang, and I thought yes, let’s!

Note: that the pesto base is divided into three separate mixtures for marinating, stuffing, and saucing the grilled chicken.

Grilled Pesto Chicken Breasts

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Ingredients

  • 4 cups fresh basil leaves
  • ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 5 garlic cloves, peeled
  • 1 ½ Tbsp. lemon juice, about 1/2 large lemon
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 oz. Parmesan cheese, grated (1 cup)
  • 4 (12-oz.) split bone-in chicken breasts, trimmed

Directions

  1. Process basil, ½ cup oil, garlic, lemon juice, and ¾ teaspoon salt in food processor until smooth, about 1 minute, scraping down bowl as needed. Remove ¼ cup pesto from processor and reserve for marinating chicken.
  2. Add Parmesan to pesto in processor and pulse until incorporated, about 3 pulses. Remove ¼ cup Parmesan pesto from processor and reserve for stuffing chicken.
  3. Add remaining ¼ cup oil to Parmesan pesto in processor and pulse until combined, about 3 pulses; set aside for saucing cooked chicken.
  4. Starting on thick side of breast, closest to breastbone, cut horizontal pocket in each breast, stopping ½ inch from edge so halves remain attached. Season chicken, inside and out, with salt and pepper.
  5. Place 1 tablespoon of Parmesan pesto reserved for stuffing in pocket of each breast. Evenly space 2 pieces of kitchen twine (each 12 inches long) beneath each breast and tie to secure breast, trimming any excess twine.
  6. Place stuffed breasts in bowl and add pesto reserved for marinating. Rub pesto all over chicken, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
  7. FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL: Open bottom vent completely. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (6 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over half of grill. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes.
    FOR A GAS GRILL: Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes. Turn all burners to medium-low. (Adjust burners as needed to maintain grill temperature of 350 degrees.)
  8. Clean and oil cooking grate. Place chicken, skin side up, on grill (over cool side if using charcoal). Cover and cook until chicken registers 155 degrees, 25 to 35 minutes.
  9. Flip chicken skin side down. If using charcoal, slide chicken to hot part of grill. If using gas, turn all burners to medium-high. (Our grill is very hot, so I only turned up the heat to medium.) Cover and cook until well browned and chicken registers 160 degrees, 5 to 10 minutes.
  10. Transfer chicken to platter, tent loosely with foil, and let rest for 5 minutes. Remove twine from chicken and carve meat from bone. Serve, passing Parmesan pesto sauce separately.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Adapted from a recipe for Cook’s Country

Leftover chicken salad enjoyed poolside.

BTW, if you are lucky enough to have some leftover breasts, make a chicken pesto salad. When cooled, remove the cooked meat from the skin and bones. Either shred it, or cut it up in small chunks (it will still contain the pesto stuffing).

In a mixing bowl, add the chunked chicken, small diced celery, thinly sliced scallions, mayonnaise and more of the pesto topping. Salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate until ready to use. We served ours the next day for lunch over Bibb lettuce and topped with sliced yellow and red bell peppers and more sliced scallions.

Moroccan Ginger-Lemon Chicken Skewers

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Anytime is perfect to skewer around, don’t you agree? And when all it takes is a bit of prep and less than 30 minutes to cook, you will have plenty of extra time for anything else on your agenda, or just relax and enjoy a cool beverage.

Once again chicken is the star of the show. Specifically, boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Each one is cut crosswise into three strips and added to the marinade, tossed and set aside for 15 to 30 minutes. While they get happy, you can prepare whatever accompaniments you plan to serve. A prepackaged couscous and a zucchini-onion sauté completed our meal.

Grilled lemon halves, drizzled with honey and squeezed over the charred chicken skewers, adds a final note of sweet-tart acidity that helps balance all the bold, savory seasonings. Minced fresh cilantro, parsley or mint brings bright color and a herbal freshness to the dish. Use whichever you prefer, or any combination of the three.

The directions indicate to use metal skewers, but we were on vacation at a rental property in Cape Cod and all we had access to was wooden skewers, which we presoaked for an hour. They tend to run shorter in length than their metal counterparts, so it’s likely you’ll need more of them—in our case, 6 wooden skewers as opposed to 4 metal.

We paired our skewers with an Israeli mushroom couscous and sautéed zucchini and onions.

Keep in mind: Don’t marinate the chicken longer than 30 minutes. Any longer than that and the lemon juice and ginger will make it mushy.

Moroccan Ginger-Lemon Chicken Skewers

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Ingredients

  • 3 lemons
  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve
  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve
  • 2 garlic cloves, grated
  • 1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger
  • 1 Tbsp. ground cumin
  • 1 Tbsp. ground coriander
  • 2 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1 tsp. ground black pepper
  • 3 Tbsp. honey, divided
  • 1½ lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • ¼ cup minced fresh cilantro, flat-leaf parsley or mint

Directions

  1. With a wand-style grater, use 1 lemon to grate 1 tablespoon of zest and squeeze 2 tablespoons of juice.
  2. In a large bowl, stir together the zest, juice, oil, garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, salt, pepper and 2 tablespoons of the honey.
  3. Cut each chicken thigh crosswise into 3 strips. Add the chicken to the marinade, toss and set aside for 15 to 30 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, prepare a grill for direct cooking over medium-high heat. For a charcoal grill, spread a large chimney three-quarters full of hot coals evenly over the grill bed; open the bottom grill vents. For a gas grill, set all burners to high. Heat the grill, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes, then clean and oil the cooking grate. If using gas, reduce the burners to medium-high just before adding the chicken.
  5. Thread the chicken onto four 12-inch metal skewers, scrunching multiple pieces onto each skewer. (We used 6, presoaked wooden skewers.)
  6. Cut the remaining 2 lemons in half. Grill the chicken and lemon halves (cut side down) until the chicken is well charred all over, 10 to 12 minutes, turning halfway through. Remove the lemons once their cut sides are nicely charred.
  7. Transfer the skewers and lemon halves to a platter. Drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon of honey over the cut sides of the lemons.
  8. Squeeze the juice from 1 lemon half over the chicken, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with cilantro. Serve with the remaining lemon halves on the side.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Adapted from a recipe by Diane Unger from Milk Street

Pesto Alla Genovese and Italian Marinated Grilled Chicken

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Genoa, Italy is the birthplace of this dish. It traditionally is made in a mortar and pestle of nothing more than basil, pine nuts, cheese, garlic, salt and olive oil, emphasis on the basil. And to follow that tradition, we did the same. This was perfect at summer’s end because we had a plethora of fresh basil in our herb garden.

Good quality cheese is essential for a rich, full-flavored pesto. Seek out true Italian Parmesan cheese. In place of pecorino sardo, don’t use pecorino Romano, which is too strong. The best substitute is Manchego, a Spanish sheep’s milk cheese, one we love and typically have on hand.

Pesto Pasta

While you may be tempted, don’t toast the pine nuts. In Italy, the pine nuts for pesto are used raw. And don’t add all the ingredients at once to the food processor (or mortar if using). Adding them in stages ensures the pesto has the correct consistency and texture, and that it won’t end up thin and watery, the result of over-processing.

Orecchiette is the perfect pasta choice because all of that creamy pesto nestles into the cupped areas.

Using a mortar and pestle creates a luxurious sauce with a rich, deep flavor and a beautiful, silky texture that’s superior to what a food processor can do. Yes, it takes a bit longer and gives your arms a workout, but the reward of the best pesto you’ve ever eaten is sooo worth it. (FYI, the cheeses will have to be ground in a small food processor beforehand.)

If for some reason you cannot locate, or happen to dislike pine nuts, you can replace them with macadamias, walnuts, almonds or pecans. To store pesto, press a piece of plastic wrap against its surface and refrigerate for up to three days. After that, leftovers can be frozen in a sealed container.

  • Grind cheeses in mini food processor
  • Smash garlic, salt and pine nuts in mortar
  • Weigh, then wash and dry the basil leaves

Pesto Alla Genovese

  • Servings: Yields 1 cup
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Ingredients

  • 1¾ oz. parmesan cheese (without rind), chopped into rough 1-inch pieces
  • 1 oz. pecorino sardo cheese (without rind), chopped into rough 1-inch pieces
  • ¼ cup pine nuts
  • 2 medium garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
  • Kosher salt
  • ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2½ oz. (about 5 cups lightly packed) fresh basil leaves
  • 12 oz. orecchiette pasta, cooked al dente

Directions

Food Processor

  1. In a food processor, process both cheeses until broken into rough marble-sized pieces, about 10 seconds, then pulse until they have the texture of coarse sand, 5 to 10 pulses, scraping the bowl as needed. Transfer to a small bowl.
  2. In the food processor (or with a mortar and pestle), combine the pine nuts, garlic and ¾ teaspoon salt. Process until a smooth, peanut butter–like paste forms, about 1 minute, scraping the bowl as needed.
  3. Add the cheeses and about ½ of the oil and process until mostly smooth, 10 to 20 seconds, scraping the bowl as needed; the mixture should hold together when pressed against the bowl with a rubber spatula.
  4. Using a chef’s knife, roughly chop the basil, then add to the food processor. Pulse about 10 times, scraping the bowl several times, until the basil is finely chopped and well combined with the cheese mixture.
  5. Add the remaining oil and pulse just until incorporated, about 2 pulses. The pesto should be thick, creamy and spreadable.
  6. Meanwhile cook the pasta as directed on the package for al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water then drain the pasta.
  7. Add a couple tablespoons of pesto to bottom of serving dish, top with pasta, stir. Continue adding pesto and cooking water, 1 tablespoon at a time, stir until dish is creamy. (You won’t need to use all of the reserved cooking water.)

Mortar and Pestle

  1. In a small food processor, grind the cheeses until the consistency of coarse sand, set aside.
  2. Crush the garlic, salt and pine nuts in a mortar with the pestle, smashing and grinding until a sticky, ever-so-slightly chunky, beige paste forms.
  3. Add basil leaves, a handful at a time, and pound and grind against the walls of the mortar. Continue until all basil leaves have been crushed to fine bits.
  4. Add both cheeses, then slowly drizzle in olive oil (it helps to have another person do this), working it into the pesto with the pestle until a fairly smooth, creamy, emulsified, sauce forms.
  5. Meanwhile cook the pasta as directed on the package for al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water then drain the pasta.
  6. Add a couple tablespoons of pesto to bottom of serving dish, top with pasta, stir. Continue adding pesto and cooking water, 1 tablespoon at a time, stir until dish is creamy. (You won’t need to use all of the reserved cooking water.)

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Adapted from recipe by Courtney Hill from Milk Street

Italian Marinated Grilled Chicken

In a pinch I have used bottled Italian dressing as the marinade for chicken, but nothing compares to homemade. If you can, use fresh herbs, however dried is also an option. Use a combination of both white and dark meat if you prefer. It’s best to cut your chicken breast halves in half again so that all pieces are similar in size, and will therefore finish cooking at about the same time.

I cut the marinade recipe in half since we were only grilling 4 pieces of chicken for the two of us.

Italian Marinated Grilled Chicken

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • ¾ cup red wine vinegar
  • ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
  • 4 cloves garlic, peeled, smashed and roughly chopped
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 Tbsp. thyme leaves
  • 1 Tbsp. oregano leaves
  • 2 Tbsp. basil leaves, rolled and chopped into chiffonade
  • 1 tsp. granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1 tsp. freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1 tsp. red pepper flakes, or to taste
  • 3 lbs. chicken pieces, white and/or dark meat

Directions

  1. Whisk together all the ingredients in a medium bowl.
  2. Add chicken pieces (white and or dark meat) to a large re-sealable plastic bag. (Cut the breast halves, if using, in half again to be similar in size to the legs and thighs.)
  3. Pour in the marinade, seal and refrigerate for a minimum of 2, and up to 10 hours.
  4. When ready to cook, prepare a hot grill for the indirect method.
  5. Place the chicken on the hot side of the grill, turning them over after 5 minutes to sear the other side, for a total of 10 minutes. Baste occasionally.
  6. Move chicken to cooler side of grill, cover with lid and continue cooking for about another 20 minutes, no need to turn the chicken.
  7. Poultry is ready when the internal temperature reaches 165°-170°.
  8. If desired, serve with an additional drizzle of lemon juice and EVOO.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Grilled Chicken Salmoriglio, Diliziusu!

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With only 5 ingredients plus the poultry pieces, pretty much anyone can tackle this super flavorful grilled chicken. We just oohed and ahhed while savoring every juicy bite. Once you taste it, I’m betting you’ll add it to your regular rotation.

Extra-virgin olive oil, lemon, garlic and herbs comprise salmoriglio, a sauce/marinade from southern Italy (specifically, Calabria and Sicily). This version is made with grated zest; some of the mixture is used for marinating bone-in chicken parts, then the juice from grilled lemon halves is added to finish the sauce just before serving.

Grilling the lemons before juicing them mellows their sharpness and acidity, adding a subtle sweetness to the sauce. We used a mixture of bone-in chicken breasts and thighs (can also include drumsticks or leg quarters). Keep in mind that the white meat is done at 160°F and the dark meat at 175°F, so the breasts may finish ahead of the dark meat. Our white meat actually took longer because one of the pieces was quite thick, so it’s good to have an instant read thermometer on hand.

If using white meat, cut the breasts halves in half again to make the pieces more uniform in size with the dark meat. Don’t use a fork to move the chicken pieces on the grill. A fork creates holes that allow juices to escape, resulting in drier meat. Use tongs instead—oh, and don’t forget protective gloves especially when squeezing those charred lemon juices into the salmoriglio sauce, they are HOT!

As sides, we served ours with a wedge salad and Patates a la Sal (Wrinkly Potatoes). They are cooked in very salty water—like the sea. By the time they are cooked through, the salt water evaporates and the potato skins become wrinkled with a white dusting of salt. They are especially tasty with a roasted garlic aioli.

Diliziusu!!

Grilled Chicken Salmoriglio

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Ingredients

  • 2 lemons
  • ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 medium garlic cloves, finely grated
  • 1 tsp. dried oregano, crumbled
  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper
  • 3 lbs. bone-in, skin-on chicken parts, trimmed
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • Make the salmorigilio sauce
  • Marinate the chicken while the grill gets hot
  • White and dark meat grill together
  • The lemons char while the one breast piece cooks a little longer
  • Charred lemon juice gets
    squeezed into the sauce

Directions

  1. Grate 2 teaspoon zest from the lemons, then halve the lemons crosswise and set aside.
  2. In a small bowl, stir together the zest, oil, garlic, oregano, 1¼ teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Transfer ¼ cup of the mixture to a large bowl, add the chicken and turn to coat. Marinate at room temperature while preparing the grill.
  3. Prepare a charcoal or gas grill for indirect cooking.
  4. Place the chicken skin side up on the cooler side of the grill. Cover and cook for 15 minutes. Using tongs, reposition the chicken so that the pieces furthest from the fire are now closest; keep the chicken skin-side up. Re-cover and continue to cook until the thickest part of the breast, if using, reaches 160°F or the thickest part of the thighs and drumsticks, if using, reach 175°F, another 5 to 10 minutes.
  5. Using tongs, flip the chicken skin-side down onto the hot side of the grill. Cook until the skin is lightly browned and crisp, 1 to 2 minutes, moving the chicken as needed to avoid flare-ups. Transfer the chicken skin side up to a platter and let rest for about 5 minutes.
  6. While the chicken rests, cut each lemon in half and grill the lemon halves cut side down on the hot side of the grate until grill-marked, 2 to 3 minutes.
  7. Squeeze 2½ tablespoons juice from 1 or 2 of the grilled lemon halves, then stir the juice along with the parsley into the reserved garlic-lemon oil to make the salmoriglio.
  8. Transfer the chicken skin side up to a platter and let rest for about 5 minutes.
  9. Serve the sauce and the remaining grilled lemon halves with the chicken.
After the chicken is plated, serve the sauce
as a topping for the meat.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Recipe by Laura Russell from Milk Street

Lemon-Lime Lacquered Chicken with Japanese Potato Salad

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We recently returned from a two-week vacation on Cape Cod. Before departure, we knew that along with dining out sparingly (due to COVID restrictions) and ordering take-out, there would also be a fair amount of home-cheffing taking place. In preparation, we created a dinner menu and grocery list ahead of time.

Yes, we are “those people” who bring our own knives, spices and other culinary paraphernalia because let’s face it, when was the last time you ever vacationed with a fully-equipped kitchen? More often than not, you’ll be forced to make do with dull knives that barely cut butter, scratched non-stick skillets and only salt and pepper for seasoning. Been there, done that.

Two sons and their girlfriends were joining us for part of the stay. In determining recipes, we knew everyone allows chicken in their diets and all of us prefer bold flavored food, making these two recipes a slam dunk. These guys are big eaters so we cooked a little over 8 pounds of poultry and doubled everything else. WOW, these were amazingly delicious and packed with flavor!

  • Son David and girlfriend Vikki are ready to dig in.
  • Son Dan and girlfriend Tina patiently wait for dinner.

Both recipes hailed from Milk Street where their online accompanying article explained this Filipino chicken barbecue, inihaw na manok (which translates simply as “grilled chicken”) commonly includes multiple sweet ingredients, the most intriguing being lemon-lime soda such as Sprite or 7Up. Yes, we were indeed intrigued. (Don’t use diet soda.)

With that sweetness tempered by tangy vinegar, salty soy sauce and savory garlic and black pepper, the marinade infuses bone-in, skin-on chicken parts and produces nicely lacquered skin. We made the marinade in the morning before we all hit the beach, then later in the afternoon, we simply added the chicken parts to the marinade for two hours.

  • The marinade bubbles after the soda is added.
  • The chicken is removed from the marinade.
  • Once the chicken is removed, the marinade is reduced.

If you cook both breasts and legs, make sure to take the internal temperatures of the different parts and remove the pieces as they are done cooking, as white meat is done at about 160°F and dark meat at about 175°F. Don’t flip the chicken or place the pieces directly over the fire until final the minutes of cooking. The basting sauce contains a good dose of sugar and will burn if it gets too much direct heat.

Our rental property only had a small charcoal grill, and let me tell you, it took much longer than anticipated for all of the chicken to come to temperature—like 10 o’clock at night late! Oh well, let’s just say cocktail time was a bit extended that evening.

Lemon-Lime Lacquered Chicken

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Ingredients

  • ¾ Cup cider vinegar
  • ½ Cup ketchup
  • ⅓ Cup soy sauce
  • 6 Tbsp. packed light or dark brown sugar
  • 6 Garlic cloves, peeled
  • 4 Bay leaves
  • 1 Tbsp. black peppercorns
  • Kosher salt
  • 1 Cup lemon-lime soda, such as sprite or 7up
  • 3 Lbs. bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts, thighs and/or drumsticks, trimmed and patted dry
  • 1 Tbsp. lime juice

Directions

  1. In a blender, combine the vinegar, ketchup, soy sauce, sugar, garlic, bay, peppercorns and 1½ teaspoons salt. Blend until well combined and the bay leaves are broken into tiny bits, 15 to 30 seconds. Pour the mixture into a large bowl, then stir in the soda.
  2. If using chicken breasts, use a sharp chef’s knife to cut each in half crosswise. Cut 2 or 3 diagonal slashes about ½ inch deep through the skin and meat of each piece of chicken. Add the chicken to the marinade and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or up to 2 hours.
  3. Prepare a charcoal or gas grill for indirect cooking. For a charcoal grill, spread a large chimney of hot coals evenly over one side of the grill bed; open the bottom grill vents and the lid vent. Heat the grill, covered, for 5 to 10 minutes, then clean and oil the grate. For a gas grill, turn all burners to high and heat, covered, for 15 minutes, then clean and oil the cooking grate; leave the primary burner on high and turn the remaining burner(s) to low.
  4. While the grill heats, transfer the chicken to a large plate, allowing the marinade to drip off. Pour the marinade into a medium saucepan, bring to a simmer over medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced to 1 cup, about 20 minutes. (I reduced it for more like 40 minutes to get it thick enough since I had doubled the recipe.)
  5. Stir in the lime juice and set aside. Set aside ⅓ cup for serving; use the remainder as a basting sauce.
  6. Place the chicken skin side up on the cooler side of the grill. Cover and cook for 15 minutes. Generously brush the pieces with basting sauce, then re-cover and cook until the thickest part of the breast, if using, reaches 160°F or the thickest part of the thighs and drumsticks, if using, reach 175°F, another 15 to 20 minutes.
  7. Brush the chicken with the reduced sauce, then flip the chicken skin side down onto the hot side of the grill. Cook until deeply browned, about 1 minute. Brush the bone side with basting sauce, then flip a final time and cook until deeply browned, about 1 minute.
  8. Transfer skin side up to a platter and let rest for about 5 minutes. Serve with the reserved sauce.

By Laura Russell from Milk Street

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Japanese Potato Salad

First of all, while this sounded very intriguing, I was a bit concerned over the process but I went with it. However, I did take issue with mashing half of the cooked potatoes while leaving the remainder whole—so I halved those whole spuds.

Getting potato salad just so is no picnic, right? Too often it lacks the acidity or piquancy needed to cut through the richness of the mayonnaise. Milk Street found that in Japan potato salads are partially mashed to create a creamier texture. And they balance that texture with crumbled hard-boiled egg and the crisp bite of vegetables, such as cucumber and carrots. For a savory touch, diced ham is added and finished with scallions.

NOTE: Don’t substitute starchy russet or waxy new potatoes. The smooth texture of partly mashed Yukon Golds gave us the creamy consistency we wanted.

Japanese Potato Salad

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 1 Persian cucumber, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
  • 1 Medium carrot, peeled and shredded on the large holes of a box grater
  • ¼ Cup minced red onion
  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper
  • 1½ Lbs. yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into ¾-inch pieces
  • 3 Tbsp. unseasoned rice vinegar
  • ½ Cup mayonnaise
  • 2 Oz. thick-cut smoked deli ham, diced (about ⅓ cup)
  • 1 Hard-cooked egg plus 1 hard-cooked egg yolk, diced
  • 1 tsp. white sugar
  • 2 Scallions, thinly sliced

Directions

  1. In a medium bowl, stir together the cucumber, carrot, onion and 2 teaspoons salt; set aside. In a large saucepan over high, combine the potatoes with enough water to cover by 1 inch. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-high and simmer until a skewer inserted into the potatoes meets no resistance, 12 to 15 minutes.
  2. Drain the potatoes, then transfer to a large bowl. Using a fork, coarsely mash half of the potatoes.
  3. Sprinkle with the vinegar and ¾ teaspoon of pepper. Stir to combine, then spread in an even layer along the bottom and sides of the bowl. Let cool for at least 20 minutes.
  4. Transfer the vegetable mixture to a fine mesh strainer, rinse well and drain. Working in batches, use your hands to squeeze the vegetables, removing as much liquid as possible, then add to the potatoes. Fold until well combined.
  5. Taste and season with salt and pepper, then sprinkle with scallions. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

By Elizabeth Germain from Milk Street

Honey-Glazed Pepper Chicken

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“A halved chicken is really easy to handle on the grill. Since it’s on the bone, it comes out super flavorful. There are nutrients and flavors in the bones.”

Brad Leone

Be aware, it’s crucial to dry-brine the chicken for at least eight hours, so plan ahead. This step seasons the meat and gives it time to absorb the floral kick of the mixed peppercorns. A fermented garlic-honey and vinegar glaze helps to mellow out the bite. You can make your own fermented garlic honey, but you will need to do this over a week ahead of time—time we didn’t have. You could also use regular honey or maple syrup instead.

Fresno chiles are similar, although a bit more fruity than jalapeños, but we had neither so we substituted a serrano, which tends to have more kick. It was near impossible to find pink peppercorns (another fallout from COVID-19??) so we used a blend of colored peppercorns that included some pink, red, green and black. Do not substitute all black peppercorns!

What’s the difference between black and pink? The most common variety, black peppercorns are just cooked green peppercorns that have then been left out to dry. They have the strongest, most pungent flavor. But the pink—which aren’t actually peppercorns at all—are berries that come from a South American shrub. Though they still have a peppery bite, they also have fruity and floral notes. 

To keep the meal lo-carb, colorful and healthy, we paired our chicken with a grilled vegetable medley of summer squash, cremini mushrooms, onion, bell peppers, garlic and rosemary. Cut everthing up into bite-sized pieces, marinate with some olive oil, herbs and spices in a ziploc bag for a couple of hours, then either thread onto metal skewers, or use a grill basket.

How the chicken looks after 24 hours uncovered in the fridge.

Honey-Glazed Pepper Chicken

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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The honey pepper glaze gets reduced by about half.

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp. black peppercorns
  • 4 Tbsp. pink peppercorns, divided
  • 6 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 3¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt, divided
  • 1 3½–4-lb. whole chicken
  • 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil, plus more for grill
  • 2 medium Fresno chiles, thinly sliced
  • ½ cup fermented garlic honey, honey, or pure maple syrup
  • 3 Tbsp. Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar

Directions

  1. Finely grind black peppercorns and 2 Tbsp. pink peppercorns in a spice mill or mortar and pestle. Transfer to a small bowl and mix in 5 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 2¾ tsp. Morton kosher salt; set seasoning aside.
  2. Place chicken, breast side down, on a cutting board and use kitchen shears to cut along both sides of the backbone to remove (freeze and save it for stock!). Open chicken and turn skin side up. Press down on center of breast to flatten chicken—you should hear the breastbone crack.
  3. Using a chef’s knife or cleaver, split chicken in half through breastbone. Pat dry; rub all over with 1 Tbsp. oil. Sprinkle reserved seasoning all over, making sure to get into all the nooks and crannies.
  4. Place on a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet. Chill, uncovered, at least 8 hours and up to 2 days.
  5. Coarsely grind remaining 2 Tbsp. pink peppercorns in spice mill or mortar and pestle.
  6. Cook chiles, honey, vinegar, and remaining 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture just turns amber in color and is reduced by about half (it should coat a spoon), 10–12 minutes. Stir in pink pepper and set aside.
  7. Prepare a grill for medium heat. Lightly oil grate.
  8. Set chicken on grate, cover, positioning vent over chicken if your grill has one, and grill, turning every 5 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of thighs registers 120°–130°, 15–20 minutes.
  9. Uncover and continue to grill, basting with honey mixture and turning chicken every 2–3 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of thighs registers 175° and 155° in the thickest part of breast, 10–15 minutes longer.
  10. Transfer to a cutting board and place skin side up. Let rest 30 minutes before carving.

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Adapted from a recipe by Brad Leone found in the 2020 Grilling issue of Bon Appétit