5 Spice Grilled Chicken
I am always looking around at different combinations of foods, spices and methods. If I stumble on something I like, I will work at it till I get the dish just the way I want it. Besides, I got this 5 spice stuff a while ago and wanted to use some.
Ingredients:
2 Tbs. five-spice powder
2 Tbs salt substitute
1 Tbs. plus ½ tsp. pepper (white or black)
1 Tbs. plus ½ tsp. light brown sugar
3½–4- lbs whole chicken
2 scallions, roots trimmed. sprayed with canola oil before grilling to char
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
¼ cup Tamed jalapeño. diced fine
¼ cup unseasoned rice vinegar
3 Tbs soy sauce
1 Tbs fresh basil leaves, diced fine
1 Tbs. toasted sesame oil
Directions:
- Mix five-spice powder and salt substitute. 1 Tbs white pepper, and 1 Tbs brown sugar in a small bowl.
- Spatchcock the chicken. Tuck wings behind the breast, then tuck in legs so the bottoms of drumsticks are pointed away from the body and the chicken is as flat as possible. Sprinkle spice mixture all over the chicken. Let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes, or cover and chill for up to 1 day. If chilling, let sit at room temperature for 1 hour before grilling
- Prepare a grill for medium-high indirect heat (for a charcoal grill, bank coals on one side of the grill; for a gas grill, leave one or two burners off). Lightly oil grate. Grill chicken, breast side up, over indirect heat, undisturbed, until browned and lightly charred underneath about 20 minutes.
- Turn chicken breast side down and move over direct heat. Grill, turning often and returning to indirect heat as needed, until well-browned, cooked through, and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh registers 165° and into the thickest part of the breast registers 160°, 15–20 minutes. Transfer chicken to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes.
- Grill scallions over indirect heat, turning occasionally, until charred in spots, 6–8 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and thinly slice.
- Mix scallions, garlic, jalapeño, basil, vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, remaining ½ tsp white pepper, and remaining ½ tsp brown sugar in a small bowl.
- Carve chicken and arrange on a platter. Serve with charred scallion sauce for spooning over.