A “Grand” Idea

Grand Marnier Grilled Chicken

Main

Here in Southern California, we’ve had a late spring with plenty of April showers and May gray which has been good for my garden but not much else. Tom has been longing to fire up his new Weber grill, and when the sun finally peaked through, we turned to a recipe we have not made in a long time, Chicken Grand Marnier from Hugh Carpenter & Teri Sandison’s Hot Barbecue.

This is my favorite dish from this cookbook, but the Halibut in Lemon-Ginger Marinade, Cajun Chicken and Veal Chops with Red Wine Glaze all come in a close second! Hot Barbecue came out in 1997 but we still turn to it on a regular basis when we are grilling. I especially like the head notes with recipe variations, cooking options and menu suggestions including dessert.

I used boneless chicken breasts similar in size so they cooked at the same pace. I also recommend that you zest the limes before squeezing and use the zest to make a lime butter for corn on the cob or grilled salmon …. Yummy!

[Lime butter: In a small bowl combine the zest from 2 limes with softened unsalted butter. Roll into a ball or smooth into a mini ramekin, top with a sprinkle of kosher salt or better yet, fleur de sel. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes before using so it can set up. Refrigerate covered for up to three weeks or freeze.]

The chicken can be grilled or roasted in the oven. As everyone’s grills are different, I will leave out those instructions except to say the chicken breast is done when the juices run clear and internal temperature in the thickest part is 165F. To roast, preheat oven to 425F and cook until done (about 30 minutes).

We enjoyed with a quick coleslaw and corn on the cob with lime butter.

Good-bye May gray (we hope) and welcome to summer and grilling season!

Ingredients

¼ cup fresh squeezed lime juice (2-3 limes, zest first if you want to make butter)
1 tablespoon orange zest (try a Cara Cara if in season)
1/3 cup Grand Marnier or Cointreau
¼ cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons Asian chili sauce
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ cup minced ginger (I used 12 of Trader Joe’s crushed ginger cubes – 1 t. each)
6-8 large basil leaves, thinly sliced and minced (see note below)
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 ½ lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs or 2 frying chickens cut into pieces


Mai Tai Tracy Note: To chiffonade the basil, stack the leaves, roll tightly and then slice into thin strips.  For this recipe, mince after slicing.  This is a great technique for thinly slicing leafy green vegetables or herbs.

Directions

In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients except the chicken. Pour half the marinade into a container with a lid or a large Ziplock. Add the chicken breasts and turn to coat evenly. Allow to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or overnight for more flavor turning frequently. Cover and refrigerate the remaining marinade for the sauce.

Before cooking, bring the remaining marinade and chicken to room temperature. Discard the marinade the chicken was in and grill or bake the chicken until done (see note above).

While cooking, brush with some of the remaining marinade. Spoon any remaining marinade over the cooked chicken for serving.

Giving credit: Recipe lightly adapted from Hugh Carpenter & Teri Sandison’s Hot Barbecue recipe for Chicken Grand Marnier.