INGREDIENTS

 

  • 1, 4-5.5 pound pastured chicken
  • 2 limes, zested and juiced 
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 1 heaping tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tbsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp garlic powder 
  • 1 tsp dried oregano 
  • Optional: 1 tsp crushed red pepper
  • Salt & Pepper, to taste 

OPTIONAL Brine:

  • 2 cups buttermilk
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 1 head of garlic, halved crosswise 

Creamy Jalapeño Sauce

  • 2-3 jalapeños, remove seeds if wish
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 2 large limes, juiced 
  • 1 ⅓ tsp salt 
  • ¼ cup neutral oil of choice
  • ⅓ cup packed, cilantro leaves, lightly chopped

DIRECTIONS 

  • spatchcock your chicken. You can find how to videos on YouTube, it’s fairly straightforward 

Optional: Brine the chicken:

  • Pour buttermilk & salt in a large bowl, airtight container, or resealable bag. Whisk or mix to combine.
  •  Add smashed garlic & spatchcocked chicken to buttermilk mixture, submerging the chicken as much as possible. 
  • Cover or seal, then transfer to the refrigerator to brine for up to 24 hours.

Make Your Chili-Lime Wet Rub: 

  • Mix the chili-lime wet rub: Add lime zest & juice, honey, chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, dried oregano, & crushed red pepper (if using) to a small bowl or jar. 
  • Stir to combine & set aside, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

 

  • Whether you chose to brine your chicken or not, pat dry with a paper towel 
  • Place chicken breast-side up on a large plate or pan
  • Liberally cover with salt & pepper
  • Massage in chili-lime wet rub & let marinate for a minimum of 60 minutes up to 24 hours 

Preheat your grill

  • Grill the whole chicken: Place chicken on the indirect side of the grill, breast side up, as close to the fire as possible without being over the direct heat.
  • Close the grill lid. Cook chicken, stopping to rotate it 180 degrees every 15 minutes, until the thickest part of the breast reads 160° F. 
  • Depending on the size of your chicken & temperature of your grill, this could take 25 minutes or up to 1 hour.

Creamy Jalapeño Sauce

  • While the chicken grills, place jalapeños in the direct heat zone of the grill, grilling 5-10 minutes until blistery & charred. 
  • Remove from the grill. 
  • Once cool enough to handle, peel the skin off the peppers & roughly chop.
  • Place in a food processor with garlic, lime juice & kosher salt. 
  • With the food processor running, slowly stream in the neutral oil, until the sauce is thickened & creamy. 
  • Add the cilantro & pulse to combine. 
  • Set aside or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Finish Your Chicken 

  • move chicken over direct heat, carefully flipping it so it is skin-side down. 
  • Cook for 3-5 minutes until skin is charred to desired liking 
  • Remove from grill and let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. 
  • Safely cooked chicken should read 165°F

Carve and serve. This would be great on its own but would also pair well with grilled veggies, a simple green or pasta salad or alongside your favorite picnic classics