It has come to my attention that some of you are afraid of grilling chicken.
How can this be? Chicken is cheap. Chicken is mild. Chicken is made for the grill the way straw hats are made for sunny days.
Undercooked chicken? Overcooked chicken? Burned chicken? Banish those thoughts. Draw up a lawn chair and let me tell you about chicken:
Once upon a time, I lived in a land of fried food and lard biscuits, where the cobblers oozed sugar and a stove wasn’t complete without a foil-covered can to save bacon grease.
Healthy was not a big priority. So when I grew up and took over the grilling at my house, imagine my surprise to discover that my family’s three-generation-old chicken-grilling method was actually downright healthy. You could have knocked me over with a chicken feather.
See, here’s how a chicken neophyte might do it:
Slather on a sweet bottled barbecued sauce. Slap the chicken over still-flaming coals. Roll it around until it’s covered with carcinogenic carbons. Yank it off the fire with a meat fork. Consume.
Wrong, wrong, wrong.
Here’s how we do it, handed down from my South Georgia grandfather (a former tombstone carver turned barbecuer-for-hire, but that’s another story): First, build your charcoal fire. Do this at least 30 minutes in advance, so the flames die down and the coals have a nice white ash.
While the coals are getting ready, squeeze two lemons into a measuring cup, then add water to make 2 cups.
Place your chicken on the grill skin side down, unadorned and naked as another kind of bird. Brush with the lemon juice and water. Close the lid.
Now, leave it alone. Go consume your favorite beverage and let your chicken commune with the smoke. If there’s too much (smoke, not beverage), tamp down the vents a little.
After 15 minutes or so–coincidentally, the same amount of time it took my dad to consume a can of his favorite beverage–open the lid. Turn the chicken. With tongs, please, not a fork. (Why spill all those chicken juices?) Brush the chicken with more lemon juice and water. Close the lid. Go fetch a refill of your favorite beverage.
After another 15 minutes, check your chicken. Poke it and make sure the juices are running clear. Then, and only then, brush it with the sauce of your choice, just for the last few minutes on the fire.
Remove from the grill and consume, with your favorite beverage and extra sauce on the side.
This has several advantages, as I have come to understand: The lemon juice and water seal in the juices. Keeping the lid on the grill holds down flames and ensures steady heat to thoroughly cook the chicken.
And saving the sauce until last keeps it from burning, especially if you’re the sugary-sauce type. (Personally, I treat sugary sauces with the same suspicion I hold for sugary corn bread. But that’s another story, too.)
Now, I’m not going to tell you that’s the only way to grill chicken.
Chicken’s charm is its adaptability, and we’ve got a flock of grilled chicken recipes for you.
But all good grilled chicken depends on three keys: a simple marinade, to keep it moist. Lid on, for steady heat and no flames.
And no sugar. Save it for your favorite beverage. Iced tea, of course.
NEW DELHI CHICKEN BREASTS
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Marinating time: 2 hours or overnight
Cooking time: 8-10 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
From “The Lowfat Grill,” by Donna Rodnitzky (Prima). This recipe is only mildly spicy; the boneless chicken breasts stay very moist.
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
Non-stick vegetable oil cooking spray
Marinade:
1/2 cup pineapple juice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon each: turmeric, ground coriander, freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon each: salt, ground nutmeg, ground cinnamon
1. Place chicken in non-metal bowl with cover or in resealable plastic bag. Combine all marinade ingredients in small bowl; pour over chicken. Refrigerate several hours or overnight, turning chicken at least once.
2. Prepare grill using direct, medium-hot heat. Coat grill with non-stick vegetable oil cooking spray before placing over fire. Place chicken breasts on grill, cover and cook 8 to 10 minutes, turning several times until juices run clear.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories …… 220 Fat ………… 9 g Cholesterol .. 80 mg
Sodium …… 140mg Carbohydrates .. 3 g Protein ……. 30 g
CHICKEN UNDER A BRICK
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Marinating time: 2 hours or overnight
Cooking time: 34-38 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
From “Italian Grilling,” by Jean Galton (Broadway). This method of pressing the meat while cooking yields very moist chicken and crispy skin. Although the original recipe calls for halving a whole chicken, we found it worked well with bone-in chicken breasts as well.
1 chicken or 4 bone-in chicken breasts, about 3 pounds
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 lemons, washed, sliced
6 large cloves garlic, smashed
Non-stick vegetable oil cooking spray
1 teaspoon salt
2 bricks, wrapped in aluminum foil
1. Place whole chicken breast side down on cutting board. Split along 1 side of backbone. Place chicken skin side up and press down with your hand to flatten.
2. Place chicken in non-metal bowl or resealable plastic bag. Drizzle with olive oil, pepper flakes, half of the lemon slices and garlic. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight, turning occasionally.
3. Prepare grill for medium-low fire. Spray grill rack with non-stick vegetable oil cooking spray before placing over fire. Remove chicken from marinade, discarding lemon and garlic; sprinkle with salt. Place chicken flat on grill, skin side down, and place bricks on top. Cover and grill 15 minutes. Turn chicken over, replacing bricks, and grill until juices run clear, about 15 minutes.
4. Remove chicken from grill and let stand 10 minutes before serving. Place remaining slices of lemon on grill for 2 to 4 minutes per side, until lightly browned. Garnish chicken with lemon slices before serving.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories ……. 320 Fat ……….. 21 g Cholesterol .. 83 mg
Sodium …… 650 mg Carbohydrates .. 2 g Protein ……. 30 g
GINGER-LIME MARINADE
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Marinating time: 1-2 hours for chicken, 30 minutes-1 hour for seafood
Yield: about 1 cup, enough to marinate about 1 1/2 pounds chicken)
From “Marinades: The Secret of Great Grilling,” by Melanie Barnard (Harper Perennial).
Juice from 2 large limes, about 6 tablespoons
3 tablespoons each: fish sauce, hoisin sauce, hot chile sauce, grated fresh ginger, see note
1. Combine all ingredients in small bowl. Place chicken or seafood in single layer in non-metal bowl. Cover with marinade, cover and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours for chicken, 30 minutes to 1 hour for fish and 30 minutes for shellfish such as shrimp or scallops.
Note: Asian fish sauce, also called nam pla, and hot chile sauce are available at Asian markets. When grating fresh ginger, use the medium or large holes on the grater, or you’ll get ginger juice.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories …….. 11 Fat ………… 0 g Cholesterol .. 0 mg
Sodium …… 310 mg Carbohydrates .. 2 g Protein ……. 0 g
