Garlic and Balsamic Chicken with Tomato & Basil Dressing
This delicious barbecue chicken is coated in a sticky garlic and balsamic vinegar marinade. It is perfectly complemented with a fresh tomato and basil sauce.
Introduction
Even though these are in the ‘quick’ cooking chapter, it always pays to cook chicken a little slow and indirect – so account for a 45–50 minute cooking time here, most of which is hands-off. A more gentle cook guarantees juiciness and you have no fears of burning the outside and undercooking the inside. A good temperature probe is the number-one gadget to invest in for barbecuing meat better.
Ingredients
| 1kg (2lb 4oz) | skin-on chicken thigh fillets (start with 1.2kg/2lb 12ozbone-in thighs if you are filletingyourself) |
| 6 | garlic cloves, crushed |
| 2 tbsp | balsamic vinegar |
| 2 tbsp | olive oil |
| 1 tbsp | sea salt flakes (kosher salt) |
| sea salt and freshly ground black pepper | |
| For the dressing | |
|---|---|
| 300g (10½oz) | vine tomatoes |
| 100g (3½oz) | fresh basil, leaves and thinner stalks chopped |
| 100ml (3½fl oz/generous ⅓ cup) | extra virgin olive oil |
| ½–1 | lemon, juiced, to taste |
| 1-2 tsp | sugar, to taste |
Method
If you can, marinate the chicken ahead of time – anything from an hour to 48 hours is fine. Place in a single layer in a shallow bowl and add the garlic, balsamic vinegar, olive oil and generously season with the salt and black pepper. Use your hands to work everything together so it’s well coated. Cover and slide into the fridge for as long as you have.
When you are ready to cook, fire up the barbecue with a small central fire so you have a fire-free ring around the edge. The cut of meat is identical, this is just a different way of flavouring them.
Set the chicken thighs on the grill bars in a ring around the edge of the fire, so they are cooking indirectly but each is equidistant from the heat. Shut the lid and leave to cook for about 35–40 minutes, turning over halfway through, until the thighs are well on their way to being cooked– a temperature probe should read around 60°C (140°F).
Meanwhile, make the dressing. Use a small sharp knife to score the skin all around the middle of the tomatoes. Put them in a heatproof bowl and pour over enough boiling water to cover. Leave for 5 minutes, then remove the tomatoes and peel and discard the skins. Slice in half and then finely chop the flesh, scooping it into a bowl as you go. Stir through the basil and extra virgin olive oil. Add lemon juice and sugar to taste, and season well with salt and black pepper. Set aside.
Once the chicken fillets have had their slow indirect cook, use tongs to lift them over the fire. Cook over a direct heat, turning frequently, for another 10 minutes or until they are nicely coloured all over and cooked through – a temperature probe should read 74°C (165°F) in the deepest part of each thigh. Be prepared to slide the thighs back off the fire if things look to be getting a little hot and out of control.
To serve, spoon the dressing over plates, then slice the chicken and lay on top of the dressing
Technique: indirect to direct
Fire setup: small central fire
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