Chicken takes well to all kinds of marinades and rubs.Danielle Matar/The Globe and Mail
Forget brisket with the perfect smoke ring, salmon on a cedar plank or salt-crusted whole fish: The hardest thing to do well on a grill is chicken.
Lucy is a good griller, but I am not. I am usually too distracted to pay enough attention until I see the smoke billowing out of the top. This is especially detrimental when grilling chicken, and I've embarrassed myself more than once by serving chicken that is pretty close to charcoal.
The goal of the grilled chicken is a crispy skin, a juicy interior and a slight smoke-kissed taste – instead, the result is often an unevenly cooked bird with skin that is burned or, worse, has become a bit of cinder connected to the barbecue grates. But chicken doesn't have to be an also-ran in the barbecue sweepstakes. With a little knowledge, skill and most of all patience, you can grill chicken that'll be right up there with the meat greats.
The key to a barbecued chicken is indirect heat. If there is one mantra to take away from this article it should be, "Always use indirect heat."
For larger propane grills, that means turning off the middle burner while leaving the front and back on medium-high. For charcoal grills this means piling the coals on one side of the grill.
Close the lid while it is cooking so the barbecue acts as both an oven and a grill. The chicken will spend most of the time on the indirect heat, finishing skin-side down on the high heat side.
Before placing the meat on the barbecue, make sure that the skin is dry, the grill is hot and oiled, and an instant-read thermometer is nearby. The barbecue should be at approximately 375 F, and the chicken is ready when the thigh meat registers at 165 F.
Now, to pieces and flavours. A whole, flattened chicken on top of a bed of grilled vegetables is a perfect centrepiece to an outdoor gathering.
Get a butcher to remove the backbone, or it can be done at home with very good kitchen shears. A flattened (or spatchcocked) bird grills more evenly because the tricky legs and thighs are closer to the heat source, while the breasts are protected.
Beer-can chicken was a trend a few years ago for good reason: If you are cooking a whole bird, placing it upright is the best way. There are gizmos on the market for standing a bird up on a grill if there are no beer cans around, but a can of cider would work well too.
If you're just using parts, choose chicken legs and bone-in thighs, which don't dry out because of their high fat content (the skin can be discarded after cooking, but why would you waste the best part?). Chicken breasts need to be cooked on low heat and it's worth spending a few extra minutes pounding them into a consistent thickness that will ensure a more even cook.
Chicken takes well to all kinds of marinades and rubs. There is probably a different variation for each day of the year, and as different food trends surface, our family enjoys new takes on old favourites.
Lucy leans towards Mediterranean flavours, while my family and I like the sweet and savoury flavour of Asian sauces and rubs. Branch out with jerk sauces, souvlaki or shawarma spicing, and tandoori marinades as a start.
For extra flavour, rub some of the flavouring under the skin, but remember that sugar is the enemy on the grill. Barbecue sauces with lots of sugar should be brushed on during the last few minutes of cooking.
And remember to keep a spray water bottle on hand for little flare-ups, just in case you get a little distracted.
Middle Eastern Chicken
Flattened, butterflied and spatchcocked chicken are all the same thing. The chicken backbone is removed and the breast bone is split to allow the chicken to sit flat. The temperature should be about 375 F for the chicken to cook evenly.
Serve with couscous and a radish, olive and orange salad.
2 tsp ground ginger2 tsp ground cumin2 tsp paprika
1 tsp cinnamon1/2 tsp crushed red-pepper flakes or to taste
Salt and freshly ground pepper2 tbsp olive oil
One 3 to 3 1/2-lb (1.5 to 2 kg) flattened chicken
Lemon Garlic Sauce
Makes about ¾ cup
The sauce is full of flavour and complements the chicken beautifully.
Use leftover sauce for a marinade on chicken or fish.
1/4 cup olive oil3 tbsp lemon juice
1/3 cup chopped parsley
1/3 cup chopped coriander
1 tbsp chopped garlic
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 cup chopped cherry tomatoes
Method
Middle Eastern Chicken
Combine ginger, cumin, paprika, cinnamon and red-pepper flakes in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Brush oil over chicken then sprinkle with rub.
Preheat grill to high. Turn off middle or side burner to provide indirect heat. Adjust heat so temperature is around 375 F.Place chicken bone-side down over turned-off burner. Close lid and cook for 35 to 45 minutes or until chicken juices run clear and skin is crisp. If skin is not crisp enough, turn skin-side down for the last 5 minutes. Remove to platter. Let it rest for 5 minutes.
Cut into 8 pieces and serve drizzled with about 2 tbsp lemon-garlic sauce (recipe follows) or to taste. Serve the remainder separately for dipping.
Lemon Garlic Sauce
Salt and freshly ground pepper.
Combine all ingredients in a food processor or with a hand blender. The sauce should be fairly smooth but still retain a little texture.
More flavourings
- Indian: Combine jarred Indian curry paste (I like Madras) with 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- Mexican: Salsa and mayonnaise
- French: Butter, tarragon, shallots, grated lemon rind
- Italian: Olive oil, oregano, garlic and balsamic vinegar