Thai Grilled Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 tsp coarsely ground pepper
- 5 cloves garlic
- 2 bunches cilantro ROOTS and STEMS (no leaves)
- 1 pinch salt
- 3 tbs fish sauce
- 1 chicken cut in eight pieces, a whole semi-boneless flattened chicken (as pictured above) or the equivalent in pieces (boneless or bone-in).
Instructions
- In a food processor blend pepper, garlic, cilantro roots/stems and salt. Blend until a paste is formed. Add fish sauce and pulse to mix.
- Spread the mixture all over the chicken and marinate all day or overnight.
- To cook the chicken on the BBQ: Preheat the grill to high for 15 minutes. When the grill is good and hot, change the temperature so that one part of the grill is turned to low while the other part of the grill is at med or med-high. Put the chicken, SKIN UP on the cooler part of the grill (the chicken will be cooking with INDIRECT heat so that it does not burn and stays juicy). If you have too much chicken and you can’t build a multi-level fire, cook the chicken on med-low. It will take longer, but it won’t char the skin and the chicken will be MUCH juicier.
- Cook the chicken on the first side for 20-25 minutes, flip, and cook on the second side for 15-20 minutes. The chicken should release easily from the grill; if it does not, allow it to cook for another minute or so.
- To cook the chicken in the oven: Adjust the oven rack so that the rack is in the second from the top position. Preheat the oven to broil, preheat your cooking vessel, either a roasting pan on cast iron grill (one that you would normally use on the stovetop). When the oven has preheated (about 15 minutes), remove the HOT pan from the oven and place the chicken, SKIN UP on the pan. Place in the oven, cook 12-15 minutes, flip the chicken pieces and cook another 12-15 minutes.
Notes
If you use boneless chicken pieces, only cook the pieces for 5-7 minutes on each side.