Best Grilled Whole Chicken Recipes

NIF'S BUTTERFLIED GRILLED WHOLE CHICKEN

Steps:

• Heat both sides of barbeque to high heat. While it is heating up, prepare chicken:.
• Place whole chicken on a baking sheet, breast side down. With kitchen shears, cut down each side of back bone and discard. Rinse chicken with cool water and place back on baking sheet, again breast side down.
• Sprinkle your desired amount of rub on the inside of the chicken and massage into the meat. Flip over, press the chicken down if it's not laying flat, and repeat the rub. Make sure you have coated the whole chicken.
• On BBQ, turn one side of grill off. Place chicken on the turned off side, breast side down. By doing that, you will get beautiful grill marks without the flare-ups and it will cook in indirect heat. BBQ for 15 minutes.
• Flip over in same area on grill and cook for another 25 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 180°F.
• Remove from grill onto a clean baking sheet or plate. Tent with tin foil for at least 10 minutes before cutting up chicken.

BHATTI DA MURGH (INDIAN GRILLED CHICKEN WITH WHOLE SPICES)

Steps:

• Pop the joint on each leg: Grasp a drumstick in one hand and a thigh in the other, and bend the joint back until you hear a crack. This helps the leg cook more evenly.
• Using a small knife, make a slash in the meaty part of each drumstick and thigh twice or three times, going all the way to the bone.
• In a large bowl, stir together garlic, ginger, vinegar, cayenne, garam masala and salt. Keep half the mixture in the bowl and set aside; rub remaining mixture all over chicken, getting underneath the skin. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes (or up to 2 hours) while you prepare the yogurt marinade.
• Stir yogurt into the large bowl with ginger-garlic mixture, then stir in black pepper, clove, mace, anise, black cardamom (if using) and green cardamom. Transfer spice-rubbed chicken to yogurt mixture, tossing gently to coat.
• Cover and refrigerate chicken for at least 6 hours, and preferably overnight.
• When ready to cook, prepare the grill for indirect heat. (If using a charcoal grill, mound coals to one side, allowing for an area of indirect heat. If using a gas grill, turn on only a few of the burners and leave the rest off.) Or heat oven to 450 degrees.
• Using a mortar and pestle, the flat side of a knife or a spice grinder for a very brief time, crack the cumin, coriander and red-pepper flakes but do not grind; you want a coarse texture here. Sprinkle spice mix onto chicken to coat each piece.
• Place a rimmed baking sheet on the unlit side of the grill or in the oven and let heat for 15 minutes. Carefully place chicken on the hot baking sheet and drizzle each piece with a little melted butter. Cover grill, if grilling. Let chicken cook for 25 to 35 minutes, drizzling with melted butter two or three times. The chicken is done when the skin is dark brown and the juices run clear when pricked with a knife.
• If you are grilling, you can sear the chicken over direct heat for 1 to 2 minutes per side just before serving to char the skin, but this is optional. Serve chicken on a platter, with lime wedges on the side.

GRILLED WHOLE CHICKEN WITH BARBECUE SAUCE

Steps:

• Set up grill for indirect grilling. Rinse chicken inside and out and dry thoroughly. Generously season inside and out with coarse salt and ground pepper. Clean and lightly oil hot grates.
• Place chicken, breast side up, on opposite side of grill from heat. Cover and grill until cooked through, or a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of a thigh (avoiding bone) registers 160 degrees, about 1 1/2 hours, rotating halfway through cooking (if using a charcoal grill, add a couple of handfuls of charcoal every half hour to maintain heat).
• About 15 minutes before chicken is done, brush with 1/2 cup barbecue sauce. Let chicken rest 20 minutes before carving.

ROASTED WHOLE CHICKEN WITH PEACH CHUTNEY; GRILLED WILD MUSHROOM AND VEGETABLE SALAD

Steps:

• Wash the chicken and pat dry. Combine the seasonings and rub the chicken inside, outside and under the skin being careful not to break the skin. Place the chicken on a skewer and place on a rotisserie over a hickory wood fire. Turn on the motor and cook for 1 1/2 hours.
• Place all of the ingredients in a heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat and stir well to combine. Bring to a boil, stirring, and simmer for 25 to30 minutes until the chutney begins to thicken slightly and is syrupy. Remove the pan from the heat and let the chutney cool.
• Blend tarragon, vinegar, oil, garlic, salt and pepper to make a marinade. Toss the vegetables with the marinade and allow to sit for 1 hour. Grill the portobellos for 10 minutes, and the other vegetables for 8 minutes, over medium heat, turning them once. Place the grilled vegetables on a tray. Place the roasted chicken over the vegetables and top with peach chutney.

GRILLED BEER-BRINED WHOLE CHICKEN

Steps:

• To make brine, in 3-quart saucepan, mix salt, sugar and chili powder. Stir in 1 1/2 cups of the water. Heat to boiling over medium heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook 2 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until most of salt is dissolved. Remove from heat. Stir in remaining 3 cups water and the beer. Cool, stirring occasionally, until room temperature and all salt is dissolved, about 20 minutes.
• Remove and discard neck and giblets from chicken. Rinse chicken with cold water. Place chicken in large resealable food-storage plastic bag. Add brine. Squeeze bag to remove excess air, bringing brine up around chicken to cover; seal bag. Set bag in medium bowl; refrigerate 5 to 6 hours to marinate.
• Heat gas or charcoal grill for indirect grilling as directed in owner's manual. Remove chicken from brine; discard brine. Insert meat thermometer so tip is in thickest part of inside thigh and does not touch bone. Place chicken over unheated area on grill; cover grill. Cook with medium heat 1 1/4 to 1 3/4 hours or until thermometer reads 180°F and legs move easily when lifted or twisted.

WHOLE GRAIN PASTA WITH GRILLED CHICKEN AND BUTTERNUT SQUASH

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
• Combine squash, 2 tablespoons olive oil, rosemary, sage, thyme, oregano, basil, sea salt, and pepper in a large bowl; toss until squash is coated with herbs. Transfer to a sheet pan.
• Place in the preheated oven and cook until squash pieces turn golden brown on the bottom, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven, flip with spatula, and cook until tender, 15 to 20 more minutes.
• While squash is cooking, preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate.
• Brush chicken with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with sea salt and pepper.
• Cook chicken on the preheated grill until no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, 3 to 4 minutes per side. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Remove to a plate and cut into thin slices.
• While chicken is cooking, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add penne and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 11 minutes. Drain pasta and transfer to a large bowl. Top with roasted butternut squash and all oil and herbs from the sheet pan. Add chicken slices and sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil if pasta seems dry.

WHOLE GRILLED CHICKEN WITH LEMON AND GARLIC

Steps:

• To roast the garlic, remove papery outer sking from the head and cut about 1/2 inch off the top to expose the cloves. Drizzle with olive oil and grill or bake at 350 until the cloves are soft (30-40 minutes).
• To make the paste, squeeze the roasted garlic from the individual cloves into a small bowl. Add the lemon zest, 1 tablespoons of the lemon juice, rosemary, salt and pepper. Mix well.
• Remove and discuard the neck and giblets. Rinse the chicken inside and out under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Loosen the chicken skin gently with your fingers and spread half of the roasted garlic paste under the skin on the breast.
• Season the inside of the chicken cavity with salt and pepper and add the rosemary sprigs. Truss the chicken with cotton string. Pour the remaining 1 tablespoons of lemon juice and the wine (carefully) into the cavity.
• Coat the outside surface of the chicken with the other half of the paste, pressing it into the skin.
• Grill the chicken, breast side up, over Indirect Medium heat until the juices run clear and the internal temperature reaches 170 degrees in the breast, about 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 hours. Halfway through grilling, slide three lemon slices under the string on top of the breasts (optional).
• Transfer the chicken to a platter, cover loosely with foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes before removing the string and carving. Serve warm.

GRILLED WHOLE CHICKEN WITH HERBS

Steps:

• If using charcoal grill, place drip pan directly under grilling area, and arrange coals around edge of firebox. Heat coals or gas grill for indirect heat.
• Mix all ingredients except chicken in small bowl. Rub mixture over skin of chicken, and place 2 tablespoons mixture in cavity of chicken. Insert barbecue meat thermometer so tip is in thickest part of inside thigh muscle and does not touch bone.
• Cover and grill chicken, breast side up, over drip pan or over unheated side of gas grill and 4 to 6 inches from medium-high heat 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes. Rotate chicken one-half turn once, until thermometer reads 180° and juice of chicken is no longer pink when center of thigh is cut. Garnish as desired.

GRILLED CHICKEN WITH SPINACH AND WHOLE-WHEAT COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Combine spices and 1 teaspoon salt; season chicken on both sides with all but 1/2 teaspoon of the spice mixture.
• Working in batches, grill cutlets, 2 at a time, in a grill pan over medium-high heat, until browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip; reduce heat to medium. Grill until cooked through, about 2 minutes.
• Prepare couscous according to package directions. Meanwhile, cook garlic and ginger in oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until fragrant and just golden, about 30 seconds. Stir in 6 cups spinach, the raisins, reserved 1/2 teaspoon spice mixture, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and the water. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 seconds; push to side of skillet. Add remaining 6 cups spinach. Cook until wilted, about 1 minute. Slice chicken, and serve over spinach with couscous and yogurt.

THE PUBLICAN GRILLED WHOLE CHICKEN

Steps:

• Debone and pre-salt the chicken: First, stand the chicken up on its neck and cut down both sides of the backbone to remove it. Trim away the loose fat at the tail end. Make a slit at the breastplate, clear away the membranes on either side with your finger, and pop the breastplate out; remove it in one piece. Slice away the ribcage on both sides. Make a slit on either side of the thigh bone, tuck the knife underneath the bone, scrape the meat to the knee joint, pop the bone out and remove, as well as any cartilage remaining from the backbone.Repeat with other side. Finally, remove the wishbone. Tuck the wings under the chicken. Salt the chicken on both sides with 2 teaspoons kosher salt and refrigerate for 24 hours. (Reserve bones and trimmings for stock.)
• Marinade: Sprinkle remaining teaspoon of salt over coarsely chopped garlic on a cutting board. Chop together until the garlic is minced, then transfer to a bowl. Add black pepper, Espelette pepper, oregano, olive oil, and lemon juice; whisk to combine. Pour the marinade over the chicken and make sure the entire chicken is coated. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.
• Heat one side of your grill to medium-high, the other to medium-low. For a charcoal grill, use a chimney stuffed loosely with paper at the bottom; place the charcoal on top, and light the paper. Allow the coals to heat for about 20 minutes before pouring them onto one side of the grill. Replace the grill grate and allow it to heat up for 5 minutes.
• The grill should be very hot. Allow excess marinade to drip off the chicken; then, quickly and carefully place the chicken skin-side down over direct heat and allow to cook for several minutes. (If flames flare up, move the chicken away from the coals.) When the skin is golden and lightly charred, move the chicken to the cooler side of the grill. Keep the breasts furthest from the heat, as the leg and thighs take longer to cook. Cover the grill; control the temperature by using the vents on the lid and under the grill. They should both be open halfway. Continue cooking, 3-4 minutes.
• Check on the chicken and adjust placement as needed to control heat exposure; cover grill and continue cooking, 5-7 minutes. Once the skin is charred golden-brown, flip the chicken and finish cooking over indirect heat with the grill covered, about 10-12 minutes. The chicken is done when it registers 165 degrees F, or the juices from the drumstick run clear.
• Remove chicken from the grill. Rest the chicken prior to carving, 5-7 minutes. Carve the chicken: Cut each breast into two pieces, and separate the legs from the thighs. Arrange on a platter and dress with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice before serving.

GRILLED ROADSIDE WHOLE CHICKEN

Steps:

• Heat one side of a gas grill to medium. If you have a grill with three burners, heat the outer two to medium, leaving the center one off. Or light a charcoal fire and let it burn until the charcoal is covered with white ash and about medium-hot; bank half the coals to one side of the grill, half to the other.
• While the grill is heating, remove the giblets (if there are any) from the cavity of the chicken. Flip the chicken onto its breast. Using poultry shears, cut down both sides of the backbone from tail to neck; discard backbone. Or, if you don't have shears, lay the bird on its back, insert a long heavy knife into the body cavity and press down hard with a rocking motion to cut down through both sides of the backbone. Open the bird out onto your work surface, breast side up. Make sure that the legs are turned inward. Using your fist or a mallet, wallop the bird on the breast, hard enough to dislodge the center bones and flatten out the breast. Twist the last joint of the wings up over the breast and then down behind the "shoulders," tucking them in firmly to keep them in place during grilling.
• Smear both sides of the chicken with the marinade. Lay in the center of the grill (it will not be over direct heat). Cook, without turning, basting from time to time with any remaining marinade, until the juices run clear when a thigh is pierced deeply with a fork (an instant-read thermometer should register about 160 degrees F when inserted at the thickest part of the thigh), about 45 minutes. If you're cooking over charcoal, you'll want to add more charcoal to the fire after half an hour or so-the internal temperature of the grill should stay at about 325 degrees F.
• About 10 minutes before the chicken is ready, brush or spray the green onions with oil and sprinkle with salt. Grill directly over the fire, turning frequently, until tender and browned.
• Remove the chicken to a cutting board. It will lose less juice if you cover it loosely with foil and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
• Cut the chicken into quarters (or smaller pieces). Transfer a portion to each of four dinner plates. Top with the grilled onions, and you're ready to serve. Pass the salsa separately.

GRILLED WHOLE CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a small bowl, mix together salt, paprika, onion powder, thyme, white pepper, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and garlic powder. Remove and discard giblets from chicken.Rinse chicken cavity, and pat dry with paper towel. Rub each chicken inside and out with spice mixture.
• Place 1 onion into the cavity of each chicken. Place chickens in a resealable bag or double wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight, or at least 4 to 6 hours.
• Grill until a minimum internal temperature of 180 degrees F (85 degrees C) is reached.
• Let the chickens stand for 10 minutes before carving.

THE PUBLICAN GRILLED WHOLE CHICKEN

Steps:

• STEP 1: Debone the roasting chicken, leaving the skin intact. (Note: a good butcher should be able to do this for you.) To do so, first stand the chicken up on its neck and cut out the backbone by cutting through on each side. Next, trim some of the loose fat. Pop out the breastplate by making a slit and pulling it out in one piece. Remove the rib cage, and then the thigh bones, and leg bones, removing any cartilage as well. Finally, remove the wishbone, and tuck the wings under the chicken. Salt the chicken with 2 tsp. Kosher salt and let rest, refrigerated for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours. STEP 2: Combine the remaining ingredients into a mixing bowl, and mix well. Rub the chicken with 1/4 cup of the marinade. Reserve the remaining marinade for future use. (It stores well in the fridge or freezer, and can be used for more than just chicken.) Marinate the chicken for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours. STEP 3: Heat one side of your grill to medium-high, the other to medium-low. If using a charcoal grill, use a chimney stuffed with paper in the bottom, and the charcoal on top, and let the coals heat for about 20 minutes in the grill before pouring the coals out into one side of the bottom of the grill. Let the grill grate heat up for several minutes. Char the chicken, skin-side down, over direct heat on the medium-high side for several minutes, until the chicken is golden and lightly charred. Move the chicken to the indirect heat side of the grill. Be sure to point the breast away from the heat, as the leg and thighs take longer to cook. STEP 4: Once golden and lightly charred (check every 3 to 4 minutes; it will take about 7 to 8 minutes total), flip the chicken and move to the medium-low side to finish over indirect heat, about 7 or 8 minutes. The chicken is done when it is golden brown and slightly charred, and registers 165 degrees. STEP 5: Remove the chicken from the grill. Rest the chicken 10 min. Squeeze with lemon juice and serve.