LEMON, OREGANO & GARLIC MARINADE FOR CHICKEN
For 1 KG of chicken thighs, breast, wings or drumsticks - or the whole chook!!!
I used a whole boneless chook with skin on. You can also use a whole butterflied chicken, with bones and skin on.
Ingredients:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 lemon, juice and zest
1 teaspoon sea salt flakes
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
A good handful oregano leaves
Method:
You can either mix all the marinade ingredients together in a bowl first and pour over the chicken. Or you can place the chicken in a dish and pour over the individual ingredients. Make sure you mix the marinade and chicken together will. If you can leave for up to 2 hours (or even overnight), this will help the flavour.
General rule:
Cook breasts for approx 8-10 mins each side. Starting on high heat and moving to lower heat while cooking through.
Cook thighs for approx 4-6 mins each side.
Starting on high heat and moving to lower heat while cooking through.
Cook a whole butterflied chook (bone in) for 20 mins each side - starting on high heat and turning down.
Cooking tips:
You can use chicken with skin on or removed.
If using chicken with skin removed, you can slice some small incisions to let the marinade leak into the meat, it will help keep it tender.
Have the bbq turned up in the beginning to get a good colour, but then turn the bbq right down or move the chicken to where it’s less hot, otherwise it will overcook and become dry.
If using chicken with bone in - the meat around the bone can be a little pink, don’t try to keep cooking, it will overcook and become dry.
When chicken is cooked, there should be clear juices running from the meat when you cut it, if you keep cooking, it will become dry and overcooked.
Breast will overcook more easily - you can bash it with a rolling pin before cooking - it will tenderise it and make it more even to cook.
If breasts are very thick, butterfly them before cooking to reduce the thickness and risk of overcooking.
Thighs are way more forgiving! And much more tender - so go for these when barbecuing if possible.