North Beach Grilled Chicken Recipes

THE BEST GRILLED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Prepare a grill for medium indirect heat: For gas grills (with 3 or more burners), turn all the burners to medium-high heat; after about 15 minutes turn off one of the middle burners and turn the remaining burners down to medium. For charcoal grills, bank one chimney starter-full of lit and ashed-over charcoal briquettes to one side of the grill. Set up a drip pan on the other side to avoid flare-ups (see Cook's Note).
• To spatchcock the chicken, use strong kitchen scissors or poultry shears to cut down both sides of the backbone. Pull out the backbone, turn the chicken over and press down firmly on the breast to flatten it out to one thickness. Set aside at room temperature (see Cook's Note).
• Combine the butter, parsley, chives, garlic, shallot, lemon zest, 2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl.
• Starting at the neck, gently slide your fingers under the skin of the chicken to loosen it from the breast meat. Continue to slide you hand down and loosen the skin around the legs, taking care not to tear it. Rub all but 1 tablespoon of the butter mixture under the skin, spreading it all the way down to the legs. Rub the outside of the chicken with the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter.
• Place the chicken skin-side up on the indirect-heat area of the grill with the legs facing the hotter side. Cover the grill (the lids vents should be partially open) and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh (avoiding the bone) measures 150 to 160 degrees F (almost cooked through), about 50 minutes.
• Transfer the chicken to the direct-heat area of the grill. After 2 minutes, flip the chicken to char and crisp up the skin side, another 3 to 4 minutes. Check that the temperature in the thigh is now at least 165 degrees F when not touching bone. If not, move the chicken back to the indirect area, skin-side up, cover and cook until the final temperature of 165 degrees F is reached.
• Remove the chicken from the grill to a cutting board; let rest 20 minutes before carving.

SOUTH BEACH HERB-MARINATED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Set a heavy zip-top bag in a large mixing bowl and place the chicken in the bag. Add the wine, oil, vinegar, basil, oregano or tarragon, onion powder, and garlic. Close the bag and turn it to coat the chicken well. Marinate for 5-24 hours in the refrigerator, turning occasionally.
• Drain the chicken, reserving the marinade. Place the chicken on an unheated rack in a broiler pan. Brush with the marinade. Broil 4"-5" from the heat for about 20 min or until lightly browned, brushing often with the marinade. Turn the chicken and broil for 5-15 min more til the chicken is tender and no longer pink.

DEBORAH'S GRILLED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat, and lightly oil the grate.
• Place the chicken breast halves between two sheets of heavy plastic (resealable freezer bags work well) on a solid, level surface. Firmly pound the chicken with the smooth side of a meat mallet to a thickness of about 1/2 inch. Brush each chicken breast with olive oil, and sprinkle with a pinch of garlic salt.
• Grill the chicken breasts on the preheated grill until the meat is no longer pink inside and the chicken has good grill marks, 5 to 8 minutes per side. Move chicken to a cooler part of the grill to keep warm.
• While the chicken is cooking, mix together the tomatoes, basil, green onions, garlic, salt, black pepper, and lemon juice in a bowl.
• Place an 8-inch square piece of aluminum foil onto the grill, and move a cooked chicken breast onto the foil. Top the chicken breast with about 1/4 cup of the tomato mixture, and sprinkle the topping with about 2 teaspoons of Parmesan cheese. Repeat for the other pieces of chicken.
• Close the lid on the grill, and grill the chicken breasts until the topping is hot, 2 to 3 more minutes.

NORTH BEACH GRILLED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Combine the first 9 ingredients in a heavy-duty plastic zip-top bag; seal and shake to combine the ingredients.
• Place the chicken pieces inside the bag; seal and marinate 8-12 hours in the refrigerator, turning occasionally.
• Remove from the refrigerator 1 hour before ready to cook.
• Remove chicken pieces from marinade and drain well.
• Place on a well greased grill rack, over medium-high heat.
• Grill, turning once, until the chicken is no longer pink (cook time will vary according to thickness of chicken pieces) usually 10-15 minutes.