Since we only sell whole chickens, I am often asked “What do I do with a whole chicken?” Apart from the snide reply of “Eat it,” I usually suggest roasting. It’s simple and provides for leftovers without much fuss. However, not many people are interested in roasting in hot weather, so here is a pretty neat workaround.
Take the chicken and cut out the backbone. I have found that a good pair of poultry shears or kitchen scissors works very well. Save the back for stock. Flatten the chicken out and rub both sides with this paste:
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon salt
some oregano and some thyme
Heat up your grill and keep it with a low flame. Put the bird on the grill, skin side up. After about 15 minutes, flip it and cook it until a probe thermometer inserted in the breast or thigh reads 155. Remove the chicken from the grill and cover it loosely with aluminum foil. Wait 5-10 minutes. Eat. It’s very easy, very tasty and you don’t need to heat up your kitchen.
