Back to the Kitchen: Recipes for Chicken on the Grill

BY GWEN KENNEALLY

I always say anything worth cooking is worth grilling! In this heat when the sun goes down I want to grill. What? Chicken again? I had to stay a step ahead of my family or my BBQ Chicken with Slicks Sauce would get old fast. I love the ease and simplicity of all of these recipes. Marinating chicken is great because it absorbs flavors very well; nearly anything goes. Keep brushing it while cooking as this will enhance the flavor and keep it moist. You can follow the instructions for the part of chicken used in each recipe or switch it to what you like. Citrus, fruits, and herbs play a big part in these recipes. Most of the sauces are quite simple. The challenge in grilling chicken is to cook it long enough so that the inside of the chicken is done without the outside being charred. Also over cooked chicken is really dry and tough. Welcome Summer 2012! Let the grilling begin!

Basic Steps to Grill Chicken (The directions on how to grill a whole chicken are part of the  last two recipes)

1. Buy chicken parts or cut up a whole chicken. Remove skin and fat, if desired, then rinse chicken and pat dry with paper towels.

2. Prepare a bed of medium-hot coals in a charcoal grill, or heat a gas grill to medium-hot. Coat the grill rack with oil or nonstick spray for easier cleanup later.

3. Prepare the chicken as per the recipe. Place chicken parts on grill rack.

4. Cook chicken for about 30 to 45  minutes. Turn chicken every 10 minutes for even cooking.

6. Check for doneness by cutting into the middle of a piece of chicken. The juices should run clear when you cut into the thickest part of the piece.

7. Serve immediately or cool, chill and serve cold.

Grilled Key Lime Chicken With Black Bean Sauce

3 pounds chicken breasts, skinless, boneless

1-cup key lime juice

1-tablespoon honey

3/4-cup water

1/2-teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1 bunch cilantro

2-tablespoon olive oil

1inch ginger, peeled and minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

Combine all ingredients except chicken in blender or food processor. Process until combined well. Pour over chicken. Cover and let marinate in the refrigerator overnight. Grill over hot coals, turning once, until done. Garnish with cilantro and lime slices.

Black Bean Sauce ingredients:

1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained, rinsed

1 quart chicken stock

4 cloves garlic minced

One bunch of cilantro, chopped

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

pinch cayenne pepper

Prepare Black Bean Sauce while chicken is marinating. Place beans in a large saucepan or soup pan, and add all remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 1 1/2 hours.

Grilled Ginger Chicken

5 pounds chicken legs

2 cloves garlic, minced

1-teaspoon salt

Juice of 3 oranges

4 tablespoons Dijon Mustard

2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1-tablespoon brown sugar

1-1/2 inch ginger, peeled and minced

1/4-cup canola oil

Rinse the chicken and dry with paper towels. Rub the chicken with the garlic and salt; place in a heavy plastic bag. Combine the remaining ingredients and add to the chicken. Marinate in a cool place for at least one hour or refrigerate for up to two days. Prepare the grill. When the coals are medium hot, drain the chicken and cook over the coals, turning after 10 minutes and basting them frequently with the marinade, for a total of 30 minutes, or until they are golden brown. If the chicken is browning too quickly, move to a cooler part of the grill. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Basil Grilled Chicken

4 chicken breast halves

1/3-cup butter melted

1/4 cup fresh basil — chopped

1-tablespoon Parmesan cheese — grated

3 cloves garlic

Pinch Salt and pepper

Basil; sprigs for garnish

Sprinkle Salt and pepper onto meaty sides of chicken breast halves. Combine softened butter, the basil, Parmesan cheese, and garlic. Brush on chicken. Grill chicken over med coals 8 – 10 min on each side, basting frequently w/ marinade.

Caribbean Chicken with Avocado Relish

5 pounds chicken (12 small pieces or 6 large pieces)

3 cloves garlic, minced

Juice of 3 oranges

1 cup peanut oil

1 7-ounce can chipotle peppers in

Adobo sauce

1-cup cilantro leaves

Peel the garlic and put in food processor work bowl. Squeeze in 1 cup orange juice and remaining marinade ingredients; process until pureed; transfer to a Heavy Bag rinse chicken, pat dry and add to marinade insuring chicken is covered completely; cover and refrigerate 12 hours or up to 2 days. Remove chicken from marinade and let drain; grill turning once during cooking until juices run clear when chicken is pierced with a skewer, about ten minutes. Transfer chicken to serving plate; spoon 1/4 cup relish along side chicken.

Avocado Relish

1 large tomato, diced

2 avocados; peeled, pitted and diced

1 red onion- diced

2 clove garlic – minced

3 scallions – thinly sliced

1 jalapeno seeded and minced

1 lime

1 orange

1/2 bunch cilantro, minced cilantro

Splash red-pepper sauce

Splash Worcestershire sauce

Salt & freshly ground black

Pepper to taste

Put tomato and avocado in medium bowl; squeeze lime and 2 orange juices; add remaining ingredients; mix well and set aside.
(May be covered and refrigerated up to 2 hours).

Grilled Chicken, Plantain and Pineapple Skewers

8 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks

1/2 pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks

2 plantains, ripe, peeled and cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks

1/2-cup pineapple juice

1/2-cup limejuice

2 tablespoons chopped oregano

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2-cup canola oil

Pineapple Dipping Sauce (recipe follows)

On eight 10-inch skewers, thread chicken, pineapple and plantains, alternating ingredients. Set skewers on a tray with sides or in a glass-baking dish. In small bowl, stir together pineapple juice, limejuice, oregano and garlic cloves. Pour pineapple juice mixture over skewers, turning to coat all sides thoroughly. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, and up to 24 hours, turning skewers occasionally. Before cooking chicken, prepare pineapple sauce. Prepare grill. When coals are hot, lift skewers out of marinade and brush lightly with canola oil. Grill over medium-hot coals for about 20 minutes, turning often. Stir remaining marinade into sauce. Boil sauce over hot stove, stirring often, for 4 minutes. Serve skewers hot, passing Pineapple Dipping Sauce separately.

Pineapple Dipping Sauce:

In medium bowl, stir together 2 teaspoons vegetable oil; 1 large onion, minced; 1 (10-ounce) jar of pineapple fruit spread and remaining marinade. Boil as instructed before serving.

Grilled Whole Herbed Chicken

4-5 pound whole chicken

6 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons rosemary

2 Tablespoons thyme

2 tablespoons oregano

salt, pepper and cayenne pepper to taste

Preheat your grill on high. Rinse off the chicken and pat dry with a paper towel.  Mix all of the spices in a dish then sprinkle some of the inside of the chicken. Rub the rest of the spice mixture all over the chicken.  This chicken is going to be cooked over indirect heat so either move all the coals to one side of the grill or turn off the burner directly under the chicken.  Once grill has heated up clean off the grill with a steel brush.  Next spread olive oil on the grill. Use either a silicone brush or towel and tongs.

Place the chicken on the grill breast side down and flip after 15 min. of cooking.  The chicken will take about 2 hours to cook.  To tell when the chicken is done it should be 180 degrees or if you cut the thickest part of the chicken the juices should run clear. Once the chicken is done cooking remove from the grill.

Let the chicken rest for about 10 minutes before you carve it or cut it into pieces. This will allow the chicken to absorb some of its natural juices, which will make it moister.

Garlic Chicken

12 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage + 3 sage leaves

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 5-pound chicken

1 medium onion, halved

1 lemon, cut into quarters

Spray the grill rack with nonstick spray and set up the grill for indirect cooking, preheat only one side of a gas grill or mound the charcoal on one side of a charcoal grill. Combine the garlic, oil, lemon zest, chopped sage, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. With your fingers, loosen the skin on the chicken breasts, legs, and thighs. Rub the garlic mixture into the meat under the skin. Place the onion, lemon, and sage leaves inside the cavity of the chicken. Tie the legs together with kitchen string. Place the chicken, breast side up, on the cooler part of the grill rack; cover the grill. Grill the chicken, without turning, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into a thigh registers 180, about 2 hours. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let stand about 10 minutes before carving. Remove the skin before eating.

Gwen Kenneally is the owner of Back to the Kitchen, Full Service Catering and Party Planning. She is the co-founder and master baker at Magpie Gourmet Mini Pies.  Check out her websites www.Backtothekitchen.net and  http://magpieminipie.vpweb.com.  Her Sweet and Savory Cookbook is available through AMAZON .