Marinated Chicken Alla Griglia

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Course: Main Course
Total Time: A Day Or More
Skill Level: Easy
Cost: Moderate
Favorited: 10 Times

Chef

Andrew Carmellini

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Cookbook

urban-italian-simple-recipes-and-true-stories-from-a-life-in-food

Published by Bloomsbury USA

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Photo by: Joseph De Leo

Recipe Comments (0)

This is a simple marinated chicken–I used to make it all the time at home. The first time I tried this baby out, one of my cooks said to me, “Chef! It tastes just like you marinated the chicken in Wishbone salad dressing!” I don’t care what anyone says: I think this marinade rocks. Left overnight and grilled the next day, the chicken becomes tender, garlicky, and herbaceous, with a deep, tangy flavor. It pairs well with all sorts of accompaniments.

Yield : Serves 4

Ingredients

For the marinade:

¼ cup roasted garlic purée (see Notes)
½ cup rice vinegar or white wine vinegar
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup grape seed oil or corn oil
2 tablespoons dried oregano, preferably on the branch (Sicilian or Calabrian)
2 tablespoons chopped rosemary
1 lemon, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons salt
1 teaspoon coarse-ground black pepper
1 tablespoon sugar

For the chicken:

2 whole chickens, halved
½ teaspoon each of salt and coarse-ground black pepper

Directions

1. Combine all the marinade ingredients in a bowl and mix well.

2. Place the chicken halves in a large container and pour the marinade over the top. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the fridge for at least 8 hours, or overnight.

3. Fire up the grill or preheat the broiler.

4. Remove the chickens from the marinade (but don’t wipe the herbs off; they’re delicious charred right on the skin). Season with more salt and pepper.

5. If you’re using a grill: Place the chickens skin-side down and grill them on high. After 2 minutes, turn the halves 45°. After another 2 minutes, flip the halves over. After another 2 minutes, turn the halves 45° again. Turn the heat down to medium and cook the chicken until the juice runs clear when you stick a leg with a knife, about 20 minutes, depending on your grill.

If you’re using a broiler: Place the chickens on a roasting rack and broil them until the skins are crisp, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to 425° and bake the chicken until the juice runs clear when you stick a leg with a knife, about 20 minutes.

6. Serve immediately, with the vegetables and accompaniments of your choice, leftovers make great chicken salad.

Notes

Timing: An overnight marinate, plus about ½ hour of cooking time

To roast the garlic:

1. Preheat the oven to 450°.

2. Cut across the top of each head of garlic to expose some of the garlic flesh.

3. Place each garlic head cut-side up on a piece of tinfoil big enough to easily wrap it, about 3 inches by 3 inches. Sprinkle the garlic with the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Wrap the garlic up in the foil, making a Hershey’s-Kiss shape.

4. Bake on a baking tray on the center rack in the oven until the cloves are soft and golden brown, about I hour. Cool the garlic in the fridge or freezer until it’s cool to the touch. (The garlic can hold in the fridge for up to 3 days at this stage.)