Sunday grilled chicken

Yesterday I was in the mood for some grilled chicken. I was a bit tired after Saturday’s sweltering FronaFest, but that’s nothing a lazy day can’t fix. I went to the grocery, and picked up some chicken thighs and some pickle sized cucumbers. I wanted to make some wilted cucumbers and onions. I did, and they came out great. Maybe tomorrow’s recipe.

When I got home, I took the boat off the truck, which has been on my To Do list for over a week. Then I put some of the chicken in a marinade. The chicken came out real tasty. Here’s how I put it together. I did two potatoes, and two chicken thighs as my portion, but for most, one chicken thigh and one potato will suffice per person.

2 boneless skinless chicken thighs

Olive oil

Cajun seasoning, or your favorite grilling rub

Salt

Worcestershire sauce

Soy sauce

Louisiana Hot Sauce

12 oz. bottle of beer

2 red potatoes

2 lime, quartered

Preparation

I didn’t put amounts on the marinade ingredients, because I don’t know how many chicken thighs you are cooking. First open the chicken thighs up to where they cut the bone out. Sprinkle that heavily with cajun seasoning, or your other favorite grilling rub. Fold up the chicken thigh and put the chicken in a bowl or a ziplock bag. Give the chicken one more sprinkle of cajun seasoning. Now add about a half teaspoon of salt. Splash on a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, and then Louisiana Hot Sauce. Pour in a bottle of beer, or enough to cover the chicken. Set the bowl or ziplock in the fridge for at least an hour.

After an hour, get outside and light the charcoal. Don’t use starter fluid. Use either dry sticks or, if you have a propane torch, just point it so the flame hits into the pile, hold it for a minute, until the charcoal is smoking, and it will be ready in ten or fifteen minutes.

While the charcoal is getting good and hot, wash, dry and microwave your potatoes. For two, about six minutes will work. This is a trick I learned for grilling. Once the potatoes are microwaved until just barely done, put them on the grill, after the first turn of the meat. In no time, the skins will get that nice baked texture you get when roasting them on the grill.

When the coals are ready, pour off the marinade and place the chicken, open side down, over the coals. I set my grill so the coals were one foot below the grate. With that arrangement, the total grilling time was about twenty minutes. After about five minutes, turn the chicken over, add the potatoes just off to the side, and squeeze a lime wedge over the chicken. Sprinkle on a little soy sauce over each thigh. Continue grilling, turning every five minutes or so. Sprinkle on a little lime juice and soy sauce, every time you turn it over. Turn the potatoes at the same time. When the chicken is still moist, but cooked on the inside, you are ready to serve.

Serving

I served my chicken with the potatoes. I put a little butter on the hot sizzling chicken, and a lot of butter on the opened potatoes. I also suggest a big tossed salad, a bowl of wilted cucumbers and onions, some Greek olives, and a good Douro wine from Portugal.