Five Spice Grilled Chicken Recipes

GRILLED FIVE SPICE CHICKEN

Steps:

• Score the skin side of each piece of chicken 2 to 3 times, about 1/8 inch deep.
• Whisk together the the juice of 1/2 lime, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, garlic, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, Chinese five-spice powder, 2 teaspoons hot chile paste, ginger, and soy sauce in a bowl. Pour into a resealable plastic bag. Add chicken, coat evenly with the marinade, squeeze out excess air, and seal the bag. Marinate in refrigerator for 6 hours.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat, and lightly oil the grate.
• Remove chicken halves from the bag and transfer to a plate or baking sheet lined with paper towels. Pat chicken pieces dry with more paper towels. Reserve marinade mixture in a small bowl.
• Whisk together the 1/3 cup rice vinegar, juice of 1/2 lime, 1 teaspoon fish sauce, and 1 teaspoon hot chile paste in a small bowl. Set aside.
• Grill chicken, skin-side down, on the preheated grill for 2 minutes. Turn each piece, brush with reserved marinade mixture, and move to indirect heat.
• Grill, brushing with glaze and turning ever 10-15 minutes, until well-browned and meat is no longer pink in the center, about 45 minutes total. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone, should read 180 degrees F (82 degrees C).
• Drizzle vinegar lime juice mixture over the chicken and serve.

GRILLED FIVE-SPICE CHICKEN

Steps:

• 1. Cut the chicken into 6 pieces and make 1 or 2 slashes in each piece for faster cooking. Trim and discard any excess fat. Pat the chicken dry.
• 2. In a bowl, combine the oil, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, sugar, turmeric, five-spice powder and salt. Stir well to blend. Add the chicken pieces and turn several times to coat them evenly. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.
• 3. Start a charcoal grill or preheat a gas grill to moderate heat. (You can also use a broiler.) Thirty minutes before cooking, add the freshly toasted star anise powder to the marinated chicken, turning so the meat is coated evenly.
• 4. Place the chicken, skin side up, on the grill. Cook 10 minutes, then turn over and grill until the chicken is cooked and the juices run clear, another 10 minutes, depending on the thickness. While grilling, move the chicken pieces around so that they cook evenly. Transfer the chicken to a serving platter and serve with the dipping sauce.

GRILLED FIVE SPICE CHICKEN

Steps:

• Combine coriander, five spice, garlic powder, cumin powder, chili pepper, and ground Sichuan peppercorns in a small bowl. Mix well.
• Dry chicken thoroughly with a paper towel. Remove chicken wing tips and and spine by cutting along either side of it with a pair of poultry shears. Save the cut bones in a gallon bag and freeze them for making chicken stock later. Place chicken on a flat surface, skin side up. Press the breastbone with your palm to flatten the chicken. You should hear a crisp crack.
• Grind sea salt generously on both sides of the chicken. Sprinkle about two thirds of the dry rub onto the skin side, and the rest onto the other side. Make sure to rub seasoning onto the surfaces next to the thighs and wing joints too.
• Light one chimney full of charcoal (*see footnote 3). When all the charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, put on heat resistant gloves, pour the charcoal into the grill, and spread it over half of the coal grate, all on one side. If using a gas grill, set half the burners to high heat. Set the cooking grate in place, cover the grill and preheat for 5 minutes. Clean the cooking grate. Brush grate with a thin layer of oil.
• Place chicken on the cooler side of grill with the legs facing the hotter side, skin side up. Cover grill, with top and bottom vents open. Cook until a thermometer inserted into the deepest part of the breast registers 110 F with a pair of tongs lifting the chicken (for an accurate reading), about 30 minutes. Rotate once in between to make the breast side face the hotter side, for even cooking.
• Carefully flip the chicken and place it on the hotter side of the grill, skin side down. Place a foil-lined cast iron pan on top of the chicken to ensure good contact with the grill grates (*see footnote 4). Cover and cook for about 10 minutes, until the thermometer reads 145 to 150 F. If the chicken starts to burn before it's cooked through, move it to the cooler side of grill. Cover and continue cooking until done.
• Transfer chicken onto a plate and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

FIVE-SPICE ROAST CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine the garlic, ginger, honey, soy sauce, groundnut oil, rice wine, and five-spice powder. Add the drumsticks, and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Then, let the chicken marinate in the refrigerator for as long as possible. Overnight is ideal, but 10 minutes is fine if you do not have enough time. When ready to cook, preheat an oven to 350 degrees F. Arrange the chicken drumsticks on a roasting pan, and roast for 30 minutes, or until their skins are golden.

FABULOUS FIVE SPICE CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a blender or food processor, blend the soy sauce, oil, sherry, shallots, garlic, ginger, Chinese five-spice powder, serrano pepper, brown sugar, anise, and salt until smooth. Place the chicken in a large bowl. Pour the blended mixture over the chicken, cover, and marinate at least 1 hour in the refrigerator.
• Preheat grill for high heat.
• Lightly oil the grill grate. Discard marinade. Place chicken on the grill, and cook 10 minutes on each side, or until juices run clear.