Whole chicken on the grill
As I wrote in the newspaper version of this column today in You & Taste, cooking your own whole chicken can save you money over chicken parts and those rotisserie chickens you pick up in the market for a quick meal. While they're tasty and the next best thing to home-cooked, their prices are creeping up.
It's not as hard as it seems to cook your own whole chicken, and it's a great option for grilling season.
This easy marinade offers spicy skin for the grownups, and moist, tender meat for the kids. Take the skin off theirs so they won't get a hit of the cayenne...
(Photo by me)
My son liked it a lot; my daughter, a little. Leftovers can be tossed into a salad, with pasta, into quesadillas or enchiladas.
Tomato-Orange Grilled Chicken
Serves 4
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup tomato paste
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 whole chicken (about 3 pounds), well rinsed, patted dry, and untrussed
Prepare hot coals for grilling. Start coals in a charcoal chimney, put a foil drip pan in the middle of the barbecue and put hot coals on either side. Replace your grill grate and spray with cooking spray.
Stir all the ingredients, except the chicken, together in a bowl until smooth. Brush the chicken well with the sauce. Put the chicken directly on the grill and grill over low heat, preferably covered, for about 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer registers 165 degrees in the thigh (turn the chicken a quarter turn and brush with sauce every 15 minutes). Let the chicken stand 10 minutes before carving and serving.
--Adapted from The New Basics Cookbook, by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins
Per serving: 441 calories, 44 grams protein, 24 grams fat, 7 grams saturated fat, 10 grams carbohydrate, 2 grams fiber, 134 milligrams cholesterol, 390 milligrams sodium. Analysis by registered dietitian Jodie Shield.
Comments
I was looking for something different to do for my College Football party this Saturday. I will need to let you know how it comes out.
Please do!
Posted by: DR | September 10, 2008 1:04 PM
That is a good recipe and the nutritional facts were interesting. I put the chicken standing up with a can of beer or soda half full and it helps steam them and I usually cook it for an hour too.There is this and other good recipes and tips at http://www.cookingandgrillinoutdoors.com
Posted by: outdoor griller | September 11, 2008 12:08 AM
I'll have to try grilling a whole chicken with your recipe. It looks delicious!
Posted by: kliz03 | September 15, 2008 11:40 AM
I am looking for a Nutrition facts chart for whole chickens.
If the info's not on your package label, try a site like calorieking.com for estimates.
Posted by: Rose | September 19, 2008 5:32 AM
Great recipe. I have never tried grilling a whole chicken before. Looking forward to trying it.
Posted by: Breville800JEXL | October 11, 2010 8:00 AM