Grilled Butterflied Lemon Chicken
By America's Test KitchenPublished on June 22, 2012
Time
2¼ hours
Yield
Serves 8
Ingredients
2 (4-pound) whole chickens, giblets discarded5 lemons, divided2 ½ teaspoons table salt, divided1 ¾ teaspoons pepper, divided1 (13 by 9-inch) disposable aluminum pan (if using charcoal)1 garlic clove, minced2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 1 teaspoon sugar ⅔ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet. Working with 1 chicken at a time, place chicken breast side down on cutting board. Using kitchen shears, cut through bones on either side of backbone; discard backbone. Trim chicken of excess fat and skin. Flip chicken and press on breastbone to flatten. Cover chicken with plastic wrap and pound breasts with meat pounder to even thickness.
- Grate 2 teaspoons zest from 1 lemon (halve and reserve lemon) and mix with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper in bowl. Pat chickens dry with paper towels and, using your fingers or handle of wooden spoon, gently loosen skin covering breasts and thighs. Rub lemon zest mixture under skin, then sprinkle exterior of chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Tuck wingtips behind breasts and transfer chickens to prepared rack. Refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
- FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL: Open bottom vent completely and place disposable pan on 1 side of grill with long side of pan facing center of grill. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (6 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over other half of grill (opposite disposable pan). Scatter 20 unlit coals on top of lit coals. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes.FOR A GAS GRILL: Turn all burners to high; cover; and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes. Leave primary burner on high and turn other burner(s) to low. (Adjust primary burner as needed to maintain grill temperature of 350 to 375 degrees.)
- Clean and oil cooking grate. Halve remaining 4 lemons and place, along with reserved lemon halves, cut side down on hotter side of grill. Place chickens skin side down on cooler side of grill, with legs pointing toward fire; cover, placing lid vent over chickens on charcoal grill.
- Grill lemons until deep brown and caramelized, 5 to 8 minutes; transfer to bowl. Continue to grill chickens, covered, until breasts register 160 degrees and thighs register 175 degrees, 40 to 50 minutes longer. Slide chickens to hotter side of grill and cook, uncovered, until skin is well browned, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer chickens to carving board skin side up, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, squeeze 1/3 cup juice from grilled lemons into bowl. (Cut any unsqueezed lemons into wedges for serving.) Using flat side of knife, mash garlic and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt into paste and add to bowl with lemon juice. Whisk in parsley, mustard, sugar, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Slowly whisk in oil until emulsified.
- Carve chickens, transfer to serving platter, and pour 1/3 cup dressing over chicken. Serve, passing grilled lemon wedges and remaining dressing separately.
Time
2¼ hoursYield
Serves 8Ingredients
2 (4-pound) whole chickens, giblets discarded
5 lemons, divided
2 ½ teaspoons table salt, divided
1 ¾ teaspoons pepper, divided
1 (13 by 9-inch) disposable aluminum pan (if using charcoal)
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon sugar
⅔ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
2 (4-pound) whole chickens, giblets discarded
5 lemons, divided
2 ½ teaspoons table salt, divided
1 ¾ teaspoons pepper, divided
1 (13 by 9-inch) disposable aluminum pan (if using charcoal)
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon sugar
⅔ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
2 (4-pound) whole chickens, giblets discarded
5 lemons, divided
2 ½ teaspoons table salt, divided
1 ¾ teaspoons pepper, divided
1 (13 by 9-inch) disposable aluminum pan (if using charcoal)
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon sugar
⅔ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
To cook whole chickens on the grill, we butterflied our birds, which exposed more of the skin to the fire, and flattened them out for even cooking. Starting them over the cooler side of the grill rendered the fat and dried out the skin, and just a few minutes over the hotter fire crisped the skin. To enhance the simple lemon zest, salt, and pepper seasoning, we grilled lemons alongside the chickens to use in a flavorful sauce with garlic, parsley, mustard, and olive oil.
Instructions
- Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet. Working with 1 chicken at a time, place chicken breast side down on cutting board. Using kitchen shears, cut through bones on either side of backbone; discard backbone. Trim chicken of excess fat and skin. Flip chicken and press on breastbone to flatten. Cover chicken with plastic wrap and pound breasts with meat pounder to even thickness.
- Grate 2 teaspoons zest from 1 lemon (halve and reserve lemon) and mix with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper in bowl. Pat chickens dry with paper towels and, using your fingers or handle of wooden spoon, gently loosen skin covering breasts and thighs. Rub lemon zest mixture under skin, then sprinkle exterior of chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Tuck wingtips behind breasts and transfer chickens to prepared rack. Refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
- FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL: Open bottom vent completely and place disposable pan on 1 side of grill with long side of pan facing center of grill. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (6 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over other half of grill (opposite disposable pan). Scatter 20 unlit coals on top of lit coals. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes.FOR A GAS GRILL: Turn all burners to high; cover; and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes. Leave primary burner on high and turn other burner(s) to low. (Adjust primary burner as needed to maintain grill temperature of 350 to 375 degrees.)
- Clean and oil cooking grate. Halve remaining 4 lemons and place, along with reserved lemon halves, cut side down on hotter side of grill. Place chickens skin side down on cooler side of grill, with legs pointing toward fire; cover, placing lid vent over chickens on charcoal grill.
- Grill lemons until deep brown and caramelized, 5 to 8 minutes; transfer to bowl. Continue to grill chickens, covered, until breasts register 160 degrees and thighs register 175 degrees, 40 to 50 minutes longer. Slide chickens to hotter side of grill and cook, uncovered, until skin is well browned, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer chickens to carving board skin side up, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, squeeze 1/3 cup juice from grilled lemons into bowl. (Cut any unsqueezed lemons into wedges for serving.) Using flat side of knife, mash garlic and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt into paste and add to bowl with lemon juice. Whisk in parsley, mustard, sugar, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Slowly whisk in oil until emulsified.
- Carve chickens, transfer to serving platter, and pour 1/3 cup dressing over chicken. Serve, passing grilled lemon wedges and remaining dressing separately.
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