Grilled Chicken with Herbed Mustard

From the book Cooking for the Week by Diane Morgan, Dan Taggart, and Kathleen Taggart

Introduction

Chicken is relatively easy to grill and leaves the happy cook with fully flavored leftovers that can be used in creative ways. Broiling can accomplish much the same look and texture.

Ingredients

Steps

1. Prepare a medium-hot fire in a kettle-style charcoal grill or preheat a gas or electric grill. Butterfly the chickens by setting them, breast-side down, on a cutting board. Use a pair of poultry shears, kitchen scissors, or a sharp chef’s knife to cut through the chickens from one end to the other on each side of the backbones to remove them. Save the backbones (and any gizzards, hearts, and necks) to freeze for making stock. Spread the chickens out, skin-side up, and press down firmly to flatten them. Use your fingers and a paper towel to pull the skin off the birds, excepting the wings. If both birds will not fit at once on your grill, cut off the wings and leg-thigh sections so you can fit all the pieces on.
2. In a small bowl, whisk the mustard, pepper sauce, olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, parsley, and pepper together. Use your fingers to spread this mixture evenly over both sides of the chickens. Place the chickens on the grill, cover the grill, partially close the top vents so the fire stays medium-hot, and cook for about 13 minutes. Turn, cover, and cook until an instant-read thermometer registers at least 170°F when inserted in the thickest portion of the thigh without touching bone.
3. Set aside 1 chicken to cool completely. Let the remaining chicken rest for 5 minutes before cutting up and serving. Wrap and refrigerate the reserved chicken for up to 7 days.

Notes

• Make 1 chicken to serve (for 4 people) and 1 to reserve for Spicy Corn Chowder and Chicken Quesadillas with Tomatillo Salsa
• To broil, preheat the broiler. Place 1 chicken on a broiler pan lined with aluminum foil and place it about 6 inches below the heat source. Broil on one side until lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Turn and broil the other side until lightly brown, about 15 minutes. Test as above. Lower the rack if the chicken needs more time to cook but is browning too quickly. Repeat to cook the second bird.

This content is from the book Cooking for the Week by Diane Morgan, Dan Taggart, and Kathleen Taggart.