Why Am I grilling when it's 98 degrees?

 

Grilled Tuscan Chicken! That's why!

 

 I started making this dish years ago from a recipe in one of my 50 Italian cookbooks, but I also remember eating it when we were in Tuscany. We grow rosemary and it's a great use for it. Yesterday we accidentally let the chicken marinate for 2 days and it was even better. Juicy, lemony, garlicky, and the kick from rosemary makes it my favorite way to grill chicken. I only buy and cook chicken on the bone. You can have the skinless, boneless breast they sell. They have no flavor, and the skin is the best part. I want to know what they do with all the skin they remove to sell the skinless stuff. I would just buy that, and wrap it around beef or pork and grill that. The following recipe is from Ina Garten, who I really like. It is pretty much identical to mine, and I could cut & paste it to save time.

Ingredients

• 1 (3 1/2-pound) chicken, flattened
• Kosher salt
• 1/3 cup good olive oil
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
• 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 lemon, halved

Directions

Sprinkle the chicken with 1 teaspoon salt on each side. Combine the olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, rosemary, and 2 teaspoons pepper in a small measuring cup. Place the chicken in a ceramic or glass dish just large enough to hold it flat. Pour the lemon marinade over the chicken, turning it in the dish. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Turn the chicken 2 or 3 times while marinating.

When ready to grill, prepare a hot charcoal fire on 1 side of a grill (or turn a gas grill on low heat). Spread 1/4 of the coals across the other side of the grill. Place the chicken on the cooler side, skin side up, and weigh it down with the dish you used for marinating. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, until the underside is golden brown. Turn the chicken skin side down, weight again with the dish, and cook for another 12 to 15 minutes, until the skin is golden brown and the chicken is cooked through. Place the lemon halves on the cool side of the grill, cut side down for the last 10 minutes of cooking. Remove the chicken to a plate or cutting board, cover with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Cut in quarters, sprinkle with salt, and serve with the grilled lemon halves.

I guarantee you will love this chicken. I ate 4 pieces (2 legs, a wing, and a thigh) last night. It's quite good left over cold on a salad as well.